吃力
chī lì HSK 6

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

这个任务对他来说很吃力。
Zhège rènwù duì tā lái shuō hěn chīlì.
This task is very strenuous for him.
她学习新语言感到吃力。
Tā xuéxí xīn yǔyán gǎndào chīlì.
She finds learning a new language laborious.
搬运重物是件吃力的事。
Bānyùn zhòng wù shì jiàn chīlì de shì.
Carrying heavy objects is a strenuous task.
这工作很吃力。
Zhè gōngzuò hěn chīlì.
This work is strenuous.
爬山很吃力。
Páshān hěn chīlì.
Climbing mountains is laborious.

💡 Memory Tip

Break down the characters: 吃 (chī) means 'to eat,' and 力 (lì) means 'strength' or 'effort.' Imagine a task so difficult it 'eats up' your strength, leaving you feeling drained. This visual can help recall the meaning of 'strenuous' or 'requiring great effort.'

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in register and commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese. It frequently appears in contexts describing physical exertion (like sports or labor), mental effort (like studying complex subjects), or situations where resources are stretched thin (like a tight budget).

📖 Grammar Points

吃力 often functions as a predicate adjective following verbs like 感到, 觉得, or 显得 (e.g., 我感到很吃力). It can also directly modify nouns as an attributive (e.g., 这是一份吃力的工作). It's commonly used in the structure "对...来说很吃力" (e.g., 这个任务对他来说很吃力).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese work and study culture, openly stating that something is 吃力 is generally acceptable as an honest assessment of challenge. It can imply a need for more effort, support, or a recognition of one's current limits, without necessarily carrying a strong negative stigma.

🔄 Similar Words

Similar to 费力 (fèilì), which also means 'requiring effort,' but 吃力 often carries a stronger connotation of resulting strain or difficulty for the person involved. 辛苦 (xīnkǔ) emphasizes the hardship and toil endured, while 吃力 focuses more on the objective difficulty of the task itself.

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