束手无策 be at a loss what to do; be at the end of one's rope; can do nothing but nailbiting; can do nothing to help...; feel quite helpless; find [stick] oneself in the mire; fold one's hands helplessly; fold one's hands without knowing what to do; have no more arrows left in one's quiver; no way out; at one's wits' end; without resources [expedients]; wring one's hands in dismay; up a stump 他束手无策地站着, 活像丢魂失魄似的。 he stood helplessly, like a lost soul. 他也束手无策, 别指望他帮助啦。 he is at the end of his resources, too. don't count on him for help
手无缚鸡之力 lack the strength to truss up a chicken -- feeble; be physically very weak 我们两个手无缚鸡之力, 只好吃饭。 we two have not strength enough in our hands to tie a chicken fast. we can only eat
上无片瓦,下无寸土 have neither a tile over one's head nor a speck of land under one's feetnot to own a single brick or an inch of landown no land and no roof over one's head
上无片瓦下无寸土 not to own a single brick or an inch of land