Word · Frequency #14160
impotence
无力；无能为力；虚弱
Powerlessness; lack of strength or power; weakness
- 1.
Powerlessness; incapacity.
无力；无能为力。
- 2.
the quality of lacking strength or power; being weak and feeble
缺乏力量或能力；虚弱无力
- 3.
Inability to copulate or beget children; sterility, erectile dysfunction, etc.
不能性交或生育；不育、勃起功能障碍等。
- 4.
an inability (usually of the male animal) to copulate
(通常指雄性动物)无法交配
阳痿；性无能；不育；无力；无能为力。；缺乏力量或能力；虚弱无力；不能性交或生育；不育、勃起功能障碍等。；(通常指雄性动物)无法交配
In use
The government's impotence in addressing the crisis frustrated many citizens.
His feelings of impotence grew as he watched the situation worsen without being able to help.
The team's impotence on offense led to their defeat in the championship game.
impotence in (doing) sth
表示在某方面无能为力。
The government's impotence in handling the economic crisis frustrated many citizens.
政府在处理经济危机方面的无力使许多市民感到沮丧。
impotence of sth
强调某事或某物的无效或无力。
The impotence of the law to prevent such crimes was evident.
法律在预防此类犯罪上的无效显而易见。
feel a sense of impotence
Connections
Collocations
- political impotence
- 政治上的无能为力
- The scandal exposed the political impotence of the parliament.这起丑闻暴露了议会在政治上的无能为力。
- sexual impotence
- 性无能；阳痿
- The drug is used to treat sexual impotence in men.这种药用于治疗男性性无能。
- feelings of impotence
- 无力感
- He was overwhelmed by feelings of impotence as his business failed.当他的生意失败时，他被一种无力感所淹没。
- impotence in the face of
- 面对……时的无能为力
- They raged at their impotence in the face of the disaster.面对这场灾难，他们为自己的无能为力而愤怒。
Synonyms
- powerlessness
- 无力，无权力 · 更强调缺乏支配力或控制力，常用于政治或社会语境
Learner notes
Memory Tip
记法：将 potence 联想为‘力量’，im 看作‘不’，于是 impotence = 无力；也指阳痿。
Context & Register
语域：formal 常见场景：学术或政论文章、医学报告、正式发言 impotence 多用于正式或专业语境：一般指“无能为力、虚弱”时，常见于书面语或严肃讨论；医学上则指“性无能/勃起功能障碍”，属于临床或正式说法。日常口语中较少直接使用，可换成更通俗的表达。
Grammar Note
不可数名词
Pronunciation & Spelling
competence 和 sentence 以 -tence 结尾，读音与 impotence 的词尾相同（/təns/），但重音元音不同，不构成严格押韵。impotent 拼写接近但词尾读 /tənt/；impudence 开头拼写相似，结尾读 /dəns/，注意区分。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.