impotence

/ˈɪmpətəns/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪmpətəns/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈim-pə-tən(t)s/ (ame, mw)

impotence — 名詞

1. when a person or group wants to fix a difficult problem but discovers they simpl

1.名詞B2
釋義

無力

無法改變或影響局勢的無力感

when a person or group wants to fix a difficult problem but discovers they simply cannot, because they lack the necessary authority or means.

例句

Yuki felt political impotence as the factory closed despite months of protests.

儘管抗議持續了數月，工廠仍關閉了；Yuki 感到一種深深的政治上的無力。

figurative use: political impotence

The citizens' impotence in the face of widespread corruption only deepened their frustration.

面對普遍的貪腐，市民的無力感只加深了他們的挫折。

同義詞
  • powerlessness

    more common in everyday speech; less formal than impotence

  • helplessness

    stronger emotional tone; implies vulnerability, not just lack of power

  • inability

    broader; does not carry the same sense of frustration or desire to act

反義詞
  • power

    direct opposite

  • influence

    focuses on the ability to affect outcomes

文法句型

impotence + infinitive

a sense/feeling of impotence

用法筆記

Frequently appears in political, social, or emotional contexts. Often paired with 'a sense of' or 'feeling of' to describe frustration at one's own helplessness. Distinguish from sense 2 (erectile dysfunction), which is the narrower medical meaning.

常見錯誤

❌He felt impotence in changing the situation.
✅He felt impotence to change the situation.
💡'impotence' is typically followed by the to-infinitive, not 'in + -ing'.
❌The government's impotence to control inflation.' (when the government has no legal power)
✅The government's inability to control inflation.
💡'impotence' implies a desire to act but lack of means; 'inability' is neutral about desire.

2. a medical problem that stops a man from getting or keeping an erection firm enou

2.名詞C1
釋義

勃起障礙

男性無法勃起或維持勃起的醫療狀況

a medical problem that stops a man from getting or keeping an erection firm enough for sexual activity.

例句

Gabriel began to experience impotence after his diabetes diagnosis and spoke to his doctor.

Gabriel 在確診糖尿病後開始出現勃起障礙，並諮詢了醫生。

Many effective treatments for impotence are now available through specialist clinics.

目前許多有效的勃起障礙治療方法，均可透過專科診所取得。

uncountable noun: no article needed

同義詞
  • erectile dysfunction

    the modern clinical term; more neutral and less stigmatised

  • ED

    common abbreviation used in medical discussions

  • sexual dysfunction

    wider category that includes other conditions beyond erection problems

文法句型

suffer from impotence

treat impotence

cause impotence

用法筆記

The preferred medical term is 'erectile dysfunction' (ED), which is considered more clinical and less negatively connoted. 'Impotence' is still widely used but can carry embarrassment or stigma. Frequently appears with 'suffer from', 'experience', or 'treat'.

常見錯誤

❌Impotence only affects older men.
✅Impotence can affect men of any age, though it becomes more common with age.
💡A common myth; younger men can also experience erectile dysfunction.
❌The doctor diagnosed her with impotence.
✅The doctor diagnosed him with impotence.
💡'Impotence' in the medical sense refers specifically to male erectile function.

3. a medical condition affecting a man's reproductive system that prevents him from

3.名詞C1
釋義

不育

男性無法使女性懷孕的醫療狀況

a medical condition affecting a man's reproductive system that prevents him from fathering a child.

例句

Medical tests confirmed that Christopher's impotence was caused by a low sperm count.

醫療檢查確認 Christopher 的不育是因精子數量過低所致。

distinguished from erectile dysfunction: sperm-count issue

The couple decided to explore adoption after learning of Walid's impotence.

得知 Walid 有生育方面的問題後，這對伴侶決定考慮收養。

同義詞
  • infertility

    the preferred modern term; can apply to women as well

  • sterility

    more absolute and permanent; considered less sensitive

  • subfertility

    medical term for reduced but not absent fertility

反義詞

文法句型

cause impotence

male impotence

treat impotence

用法筆記

This sense overlaps with 'infertility' and is less commonly used than senses 1 or 2. It specifically refers to the inability to conceive a child, which may exist together with or independently of erectile dysfunction (sense 2). The term 'male infertility' is now more common in medical writing.

常見錯誤

❌Impotence and infertility are the same condition.
✅Impotence (erectile dysfunction) and impotence (infertility) are two different conditions.
💡They can occur separately; a man can have normal erections but be unable to father children.
❌Impotence means a man cannot have sex.
✅Impotence can mean either erectile dysfunction or infertility.
💡The word is ambiguous between the two medical senses; clarify with context.