能耐

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

Significado

Habilidad; pericia; maña (coloquial).

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.

Ejemplos

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。
2. 有能耐你自己来试试，别光站在旁边说风凉话。
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？

Guía de uso

Contexto: colloquial, challenge, evaluation, sarcasm

Tono: casual

Correcto

• 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.)

Incorrecto

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

Origen e historia

能 (able/can) + 耐 (endure/bear)

Contexto cultural

Generación: All ages

Contexto social: Universal