someone's hands are tied
US /ˈsʌm.wʌnz hændz ɑːr taɪd/
UK /ˈsʌm.wʌnz hændz ɑːr taɪd/
1.
束手無策, 無能為力
to be unable to act freely or to help in a particular situation because of rules, laws, or other restrictions
:
•
I'd love to help you, but my hands are tied by company policy.
我很想幫你，但公司政策讓我束手無策。
•
The government claims its hands are tied by international agreements.
政府聲稱其束手無策，因為受到國際協議的限制。