<p>In general, <code>精力</code> is the word for human energy as opposite to tiredness. <code>时间和精力</code> (time and energy) is indeed an idiom in Chinese.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;I have other responsibilities, so I don't have the time or energy to sit beside you and manage you.&quot;</p>
<p>我还有别的事，没有时间和<b>精力</b>坐在你旁边伺候你。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>When referring to sport stamina, <code>体力</code> is more accurate.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;The players aren't lazy, they just don't have enough energy to keep up with the other team.&quot;</p>
<p>队员们不是懒惰，而是<b>体力</b>不如对方。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>When referring to vigorous personality or lifestyle, the general word is <code>活力</code>. Some certain phrases containing <code>精力</code> like <code>精力充沛</code>/<code>精力旺盛</code> has similar meaning, but not <code>精力</code> itself.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;He is always full of energy.&quot;</p>
<p>他总是充满<b>活力</b>。</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-31T04:36:28.343Z
2012-12-31T04:36:28.343Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
NS.X.
<p>The translation of <code>energy</code> to Chinese is really a tricky one, or very "context sensitive". I will try to give example one by one.</p>

<ol>
<li><p><strong>体力 Body(Physical) Power</strong></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我太累。 I'm not too tired, I just don't have as much energy as I used to do what I want to do (like play basketball for 8 hours straight).</p>
</blockquote>

<pre><code>[繁] 我太累, 體力不夠了,不復當年啊。
[简] 我太累, 体力不够了,不复当年啊。

Enerygy -&gt;  体力   body(physical) strength / body energy
            不够了 no enough / run out

            不復   not as (good as)
            當年   years ago / in the past
</code></pre>

<p>So <code>我的能力不够</code> should be <code>我的体力不够</code>.</p>

<p>The following example fall in the same usage</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The players aren't lazy, they just don't have enough energy to keep up with the other team.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p><strong>精神 Will Power / Brain Power</strong></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I have other responsibilities, so I don't have the time or energy to sit beside you and manage you.</p>
  
  <p>[繁] 我有其他事情要處理, 沒有那麼多時間精神跟在你後面管著你。</p>
  
  <p>[简] 我有其他事情要处理, 没有那麼多时间精神跟在你后面管着你。</p>
</blockquote>

<pre><code>事情要处理  things that have to be taken care of / responsibilities (责任)
精神       energy / will power (mental state related)
</code></pre></li>
<li><p><strong>PS</strong></p>

<p><code>体力</code> is always referring to physical/body strength/state. As <code>体</code> mean body.</p>

<p><code>精神</code> can be referring to mental state only or both.</p>

<pre><code>[繁] 他今天精神很好
He look good today.
He is in good shape today.
</code></pre>

<p><code>精力</code> can refer to both physical or mental state, or both at the same time. Mostly interchangeable with the above two.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[简] 我太累, <strong>体力</strong> 不够了,不复当年啊。</p>
  
  <p>[简] 我太累, <strong>精力</strong> 不够了,不复当年啊。</p>
  
  <p>[简] 没有那麼多时间 <strong>精神</strong> 跟在你后面管着你</p>
  
  <p>[简] 没有那麼多时间 <strong>精力</strong> 跟在你后面管着你</p>
</blockquote></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-31T05:43:35.343Z
Thanks for doing it in 简体字 in addition to 繁体字. I was confused at first but I realized the two were the same sentence just using different orthographies.
Son of the Wai-Pan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-31T06:30:22.843Z
Added [繁][简] prefix. This is a learning experience for me. :) Happy New Year!!
John Siu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-31T14:36:00.227Z
@B.D Yes, the conversion website I use is not good enough, have to find a better one.
John Siu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-31T04:49:14.177Z
2012-12-31T16:46:17.397Z
2012-12-31T16:46:17.397Z
John Siu
<p>There are many times when I want to tell someone that I don't have enough energy to do something. These are close but not exactly what I want:</p>

<p>我太累。 I'm not too tired, I just don't have as much energy as I used to do what I want to do (like play basketball for 8 hours straight).</p>

<p>我的能力不够。Here, it's not that I don't have the ability to… I can do that, I just don't have the energy to do that (like play basketball for 8 hours straight).</p>

<p>Other contexts where I would like to use this phrase:</p>

<ul>
<li>"I have other responsibilities, so I don't have the time or energy
to sit beside you and manage you."</li>
<li>"The players aren't lazy, they
just don't have enough energy to keep up with the other team."</li>
</ul>

<translation>
What is the appropriate translation for 'energy'?
# What is the appropriate translation for 'energy'?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-12-31)

There are many times when I want to tell someone that I don't have enough energy to do something. These are close but not exactly what I want:

我太累。 I'm not too tired, I just don't have as much energy as I used to do what I want to do (like play basketball for 8 hours straight).

我的能力不够。Here, it's not that I don't have the ability to… I can do that, I just don't have the energy to do that (like play basketball for 8 hours straight).

Other contexts where I would like to use this phrase:

* "I have other responsibilities, so I don't have the time or energy
  to sit beside you and manage you."
* "The players aren't lazy, they
  just don't have enough energy to keep up with the other team."

**Tags:** translation


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-12-31. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

The translation of `energy` to Chinese is really a tricky one, or very "context sensitive". I will try to give example one by one.

1. **体力 Body(Physical) Power**

   > 我太累。 I'm not too tired, I just don't have as much energy as I used to do what I want to do (like play basketball for 8 hours straight).

   ```
   [繁] 我太累, 體力不夠了,不復當年啊。
   [简] 我太累, 体力不够了,不复当年啊。

   Enerygy ->  体力   body(physical) strength / body energy
               不够了 no enough / run out

               不復   not as (good as)
               當年   years ago / in the past

   ```

   So `我的能力不够` should be `我的体力不够`.

   The following example fall in the same usage

   > The players aren't lazy, they just don't have enough energy to keep up with the other team.
2. **精神 Will Power / Brain Power**

   > I have other responsibilities, so I don't have the time or energy to sit beside you and manage you.
   >
   > [繁] 我有其他事情要處理, 沒有那麼多時間精神跟在你後面管著你。
   >
   > [简] 我有其他事情要处理, 没有那麼多时间精神跟在你后面管着你。

   ```
   事情要处理  things that have to be taken care of / responsibilities (责任)
   精神       energy / will power (mental state related)

   ```
3. **PS**

   `体力` is always referring to physical/body strength/state. As `体` mean body.

   `精神` can be referring to mental state only or both.

   ```
   [繁] 他今天精神很好
   He look good today.
   He is in good shape today.

   ```

   `精力` can refer to both physical or mental state, or both at the same time. Mostly interchangeable with the above two.

   > [简] 我太累, **体力** 不够了,不复当年啊。
   >
   > [简] 我太累, **精力** 不够了,不复当年啊。
   >
   > [简] 没有那麼多时间 **精神** 跟在你后面管着你
   >
   > [简] 没有那麼多时间 **精力** 跟在你后面管着你

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for doing it in 简体字 in addition to 繁体字. I was confused at first but I realized the two were the same sentence just using different orthographies.  
> **username_2**: Added [繁][简] prefix. This is a learning experience for me. :) Happy New Year!!  
> **username_2**: @B.D Yes, the conversion website I use is not good enough, have to find a better one.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-12-31. Score: 5

In general, `精力` is the word for human energy as opposite to tiredness. `时间和精力` (time and energy) is indeed an idiom in Chinese.

> "I have other responsibilities, so I don't have the time or energy to sit beside you and manage you."
>
> 我还有别的事，没有时间和**精力**坐在你旁边伺候你。

When referring to sport stamina, `体力` is more accurate.

> "The players aren't lazy, they just don't have enough energy to keep up with the other team."
>
> 队员们不是懒惰，而是**体力**不如对方。

When referring to vigorous personality or lifestyle, the general word is `活力`. Some certain phrases containing `精力` like `精力充沛`/`精力旺盛` has similar meaning, but not `精力` itself.

> "He is always full of energy."
>
> 他总是充满**活力**。


---

