手无寸铁 bare-handed; unarmed; defenseless; totally unarmed; have no weapon in one's hand 那可有啥办法? 咱们白面书生手无寸铁。 what can we do? we are palefaced intellectuals with no weapons in our hands
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