束手無策 shù shǒu wú cè

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. to have one's hands bound and be unable to do anything about it (idiom); fig. helpless in the face of a crisis

CHARACTERS

束 shù
HSK 3
bind, control, restrain; bale
手 shǒu
HSK 2
hand
無 wú negative, no, not; lack, have no
策 cè
HSK 6
scheme, plan; to whip; urge