能

のう
talent
gift
function
Noh play

* * *

のう【能】

①［能力］

〔働き， とりえ〕

¶彼女は金を浪費することしか～がない

She never does anything ［She does nothing］ but waste her money.

¶ → 能あるタカはつめを隠す

②［能楽］

No(h) play

/nóu-/ 〖C〗能， 能楽

a No(h) play stage 能舞台.

* * *

のう【能】

1 〔才能〕 (a) talent; a faculty 《for…》; 〔能力〕 ability; capability; capacity; 〔技能〕 skill; 〔機能〕 a function; 〔資格〕 (a) capacity.

●彼に何の能があるのか. What can he do? | What's so good about him?

●能を隠す conceal one's ability; hide one's talents.

●金はためるばかりが能ではない, よく使うことも大切だ. It is not everything to accumulate money; to spend to good purpose is also important. | Just piling up money is pretty useless unless you know how to spend it properly.

・子供は叱るばかりが能ではない, たまには褒めてやらねば. It's no good scolding children all the time [Scolding children all the time won't get you anywhere]; you have to praise them sometimes.

・人皆能不能あり. Everybody has their limitations. | Nobody is perfect.

・能ある鷹は爪を隠す. A wise falcon hides its talons. | A talented person knows to be modest [does not try to show off]. | Part of wisdom lies in hiding one's wisdom. 【諺】

2 〔能楽〕 (the) Noh (drama); a Noh dance [play].

●能を演ずる do [put on] a Noh performance; do Noh; act [perform] a Noh play.

能がない 1 〔能力がない〕 incompetent; useless; hopeless; no good (for anything); 《口》 a write-off.

●この猫は寝るよりほかに能がないのか. 〔ネズミを捕らないことへの不満〕 The only thing this cat is any good at is sleeping [can do properly is sleep]. | This cat is useless. All it can do is sleep.

・彼は食うよりほかに能のない男だ. He's useless at everything except eating. | He's totally incompetent; all he is good for is eating.

・私はその時ただ見ているしか能がなかった. All I could do at the time was look on (hopelessly [uselessly]).

・勉強しか能のない人 the sort of person who is only good at studying; 《口》 a (school) nerd; 《英》 a (mere) swot.

2 〔面白味･工夫がない〕 feeble; pathetic; not good enough.

●毎回同じレストランで食事じゃ能がない. It's pathetic just going to the same restaurant again and again.

・言われたことをやるだけでは能がないと思って私は新しい企画を考えた. I thought it was rather pathetic [feeble, unoriginal] just doing what I was told, so I thought up a new plan.

能衣裳[装束] (a) Noh costume.

能舞台 a Noh stage.

能役者 a Noh actor [player].