能耐

• Pinyin: néng nai
• Hanzi breakdown: 能 = 厶 + 月 + 匕 (private + flesh + spoon — original pictograph of a bear; able); 耐 = 而 + 寸 (whiskers + inch — to endure)

Meaning

Ability; capability; skill. Refers to a person's competence or talent to accomplish tasks, often used in colloquial speech.

More colloquial than 能力, often used in rhetorical or challenging contexts: 有能耐 (to have the ability), 没能耐 (to lack ability), 真有能耐 (really capable — can be sarcastic). Can carry either admiration or ironic undertones depending on context.

Examples

1. 他凭着一身能耐，硬是在竞争激烈的行业中闯出了一片天地。 With nothing but his own skills, he carved out a place for himself in a fiercely competitive industry.
2. 有能耐你自己来试试，别光站在旁边说风凉话。 If you’ve really got what it takes, try it yourself—don’t just stand there making snide remarks.
3. 这点小事都处理不好，还有什么能耐去承担更大的责任呢？ If you can’t even handle something this small, what makes you think you can take on bigger responsibilities?

Usage Guide

Context: colloquial, challenge, evaluation, sarcasm

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 他在技术领域确实有两把刷子，真有能耐解决各种棘手的难题。(He really does have some skills in the technical field; he truly has the ability to solve all kinds of thorny problems.)
• 你要是有能耐，就亲自上场证明给大家看，而不是在这里纸上谈兵。(If you have the ability, go out there and prove it to everyone yourself, instead of just talking on paper here.)

Don't Say

• 他的能耐很高 — sounds awkward; use 他很有能耐 or 他能耐大 instead

Origin & History

能 (able/can) + 耐 (endure/bear)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal