| 鞭长莫及 |
biān cháng mò jí |
lit. the whip cannot reach (idiom); beyond one's influence / too far to be able to help |
| 鞭 |
biān |
whip or lash / to flog / to whip / conductor's baton / segmented iron weapon (old) / penis (of animal, served as food) |
| 长 |
cháng |
long / (bound form) length / (bound form) strong point; forte / (bound form) to be good at / (literary) surplus; spare (Taiwan pr. [zhang4]) |
| 长 |
zhǎng |
chief / head / elder / to grow / to develop / to increase / to enhance |
| 莫 |
Mò |
surname Mo |
| 莫 |
mò |
do not / there is none who |
| 及 |
jí |
and / to reach / up to / in time for |