adjective / verb phrase HSK 5
Traditional 沒轍
to have no way out · to be at a loss · to be stumped · to have no solution
Meaning
This colloquial expression literally means 'to have no rut or track' and describes a situation where someone has run out of options or methods to solve a problem. It conveys a sense of helplessness or being stuck without a viable solution.
Usage
Common in spoken Mandarin to express frustration or resignation when facing an unsolvable problem. Often used with 真 (zhēn) for emphasis, as in 真没辙. Slightly informal but acceptable in most casual contexts. Frequently appears in constructions like 对...没辙 (to have no way to deal with...).
Examples
- 01这孩子太调皮了，我真拿他没辙。, .This child is too naughty; I really don't know what to do with him.
- 02电脑突然死机了，我对电脑没辙，只好找人修。, , .The computer suddenly crashed. I'm hopeless with computers, so I had to find someone to fix it.
Characters
Common collocations
- 真没辙really have no way out
- 对...没辙...can't do anything about...
- 一点儿辙都没有don't have the slightest solution
Antonyms
Origin
辙 originally referred to wheel ruts or tracks left by vehicles. The metaphorical extension suggests having no path or method to follow, thus being stuck without options.