拿…没办法
can do nothing about; to be at a loss with
Structure
主语 ＋ 拿 ＋ 人／事 ＋ 没办法／一点儿办法也没有
What it means
‘Can do nothing about someone or something’: here 拿 does not mean ‘take’ but marks what is too much for you, much like 对.
How it is built
Subject + 拿 + person/thing + 没办法 (or 一点儿办法也没有): 我真拿这只猫没办法 (I just can't do anything with this cat).
When to use it
Spoken, helpless or fondly exasperated, and almost always negative. Variants: 拿…没辙, and the rhetorical 你能拿他怎么样？ (what can you do to him?).
Watch out
Keep the order 拿 + object + 没办法. ✗没办法拿他 ✓拿他没办法. The first means there is no way to pick him up.
Examples
过去，牧民拿风沙一点儿办法也没有。
In the past, herders could do nothing at all about the blowing sand.
孙子一哭，爷爷就拿他没办法了，要什么给什么。
The moment his grandson cries, Grandpa gives in and hands over whatever he wants.
这只猫天天跳上桌子，我真拿它没办法。
This cat jumps on the table every day; I just can’t do anything with it.
Learn this in Lesson 170 · HSK 7–9: 绿色长城 (The Green Great Wall)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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