做不动了

• Pinyin: zuò bù dòng le
• Hanzi breakdown: 做 (do) + 不动 (cannot keep moving) + 了 -> cannot continue doing.

Meaning

Too tired or mentally drained to keep working on something.

It emphasizes depletion rather than laziness. Students and workers use it when tasks continue after energy has run out.

Examples

1. 这套题太长，我做不动了。 This set of questions is too long; I can't keep going.
2. 连续改五版方案，真的做不动了。 After changing the plan five times in a row, I really can't go on.
3. 先休息十分钟，不然做不动了。 Let's rest for ten minutes, or I won't be able to keep going.

Usage Guide

Context: friends, workplace, campus

Tone: exhausted, honest

Do Say

• 精力见底时说我做不动了。（Use it when you cannot continue a task.）

Don't Say

• 刚开始就说做不动了来逃避责任。（It should reflect real exhaustion.）

Common Mistakes

• Reading it as physically unable only; it can be mental fatigue.

Origin & History

Everyday result-complement pattern 不动 applied to task endurance.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s-2020s

Generation: Students, Gen Z, and young office workers

Social background: Urban internet users

Regional notes: Reflects study and work overload where endurance becomes the issue.