🇬🇧🇨🇳 unhelpful - 无益 : English Lesson

Meaning of "unhelpful" ("无益"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.

Unhelpful means not being useful when someone needs help. If you ask a friend to hold a ladder and they start texting instead, that’s unhelpful. If a cat knocks your homework off the table instead of letting you finish it, also unhelpful.

Watch and listen to this English flashcard to understand the word in more detail, with an easy example sentence.

I asked my little brother to help clean, and he just sat there eating chips—very unhelpful.

The math book’s “simple explanation” was so unhelpful that even my calculator got confused.

I asked for directions, and the unhelpful GPS just said, “Recalculating… forever.”

My cat saw me struggling with my shoelaces and decided to sit on them—extremely unhelpful.

I asked my friend for the answers, and his unhelpful reply was, “Just think harder.”

A woman lost in a small town held a map that was unhelpful. A shopkeeper's answer was unhelpful. A bus driver gave an unhelpful shrug. Her map app gave unhelpful directions and the street sign was unhelpful too. She took a deep breath, asked a child, and the child pointed and smiled — finally helpful.

This word is at the B2 level, which means it’s used in more complex conversations and texts. It helps you discuss abstract ideas, express opinions clearly, and engage in discussions on a variety of topics, both personal and professional.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.