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不合时宜 (bù hé shí yí) — out of step with the times; untimely; inappropriate for the occasion

Definition

An idiom meaning something is badly timed or out of place for the occasion — a remark, outfit, or proposal that clashes with the current situation.

idiom
out of step with the timesuntimelyinappropriate for the occasion

Examples

  • ，不合时宜。
    Tā chuān xī zhuāng qù hǎi tān dù jià, shí zài yǒu diǎn r bù hé shí yí.
    He wore a suit to the beach vacation — it was really a bit out of place.
  • ，不合时宜。
    Zài dà jiā dōu zhī chí huán bǎo de shí hou, tā shuō zhè zhǒng huà zhēn shì tài bù hé shí yí le.
    At a time when everyone supports environmental protection, what he said was really untimely.
  • ，不合时宜。
    Zhè ge tí àn suī rán hěn hǎo, dàn zài zhè ge huì yì shàng tí chū què xiǎn de bù hé shí yí.
    This proposal is good, but bringing it up at this meeting seems inappropriate for the occasion.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

不合not suit
不bùnot合hésuit
偏正Modifier + head
时宜what is suitable for the times
时shítime宜yíappropriateness
偏正Modifier + head

'不合' means not suit and '时宜' means what is suitable for the times, together giving untimely.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

合 shows 亼 and 口 arranged as two mouths speaking together.

Open 合 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 時; 时 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun; day
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī時shí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 時 pairs 日 (sun/day) with 之 as the part that gives the sound; the simplified 时 is not the form described.

Open 时 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

宜 shows 且, a sacrificial altar, with 多, two pieces of meat, depicting two pieces of meat placed on the altar.

Open 宜 →
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Idioms & Set Phrases

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