<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.

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.

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)

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**。


---

