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无 + 名词 + 可 + 动词

to have no … to …; there is no … left to …

Structure
无 名词 可 动词

What it means

“To have no … to …”: there is nothing or nowhere left for an action. A classical frame, mostly in fixed four-character sets.

How it is built

无 + noun + 可 + verb: 林冲被逼得无路可走 (Lin Chong had nowhere left to turn). Sets: 无家可归, 无话可说, 无处可逃, 无药可救, 无计可施, 无懈可击 (flawless).

When to use it

Classical in flavour; the fixed sets (无话可说, 无家可归) are used in speech and writing alike. The positive is 有…可…: 有法可依 (there are laws to go by), 有利可图. For a free combination in everyday speech say 没有…可…: 没有地方可去.

Watch out

Don't drop 可: ✗无路走 ✓无路可走. Don't swap in 能 either; keep 可.

Examples

林冲被逼得无路可走,只好投奔梁山。
Lin Chong was hounded until he had nowhere left to turn, and had to join the outlaws on Liangshan.
证据都摆在面前,他已经无话可说。
With the evidence laid out in front of him, he had nothing left to say.
洪水过后,几千户人家无家可归。
After the flood thousands of families had no homes to go back to.
Learn this in Lesson 250 · HSK 9+: 梁山好汉的绰号 (The nicknames of the Water Margin heroes)
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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