不堪入耳 (bù kān rù ěr) — unbearably vulgar or offensive to the ear (of speech, music, etc.)
Definition
Strong chengyu meaning 'intolerably vulgar or offensive to the ear' — applied to swear words, crude jokes, or harsh music that one cannot stand to listen to. More forceful than saying 难听, which just means 'harsh-sounding'.
idiom
unbearably vulgar or offensive to the ear (of speech, music, etc.)
Examples
- 不堪入耳，。Tā shuō de zāng huà bù kān rù ěr, ràng rén tīng le hěn bù shū fu.The swear words he said were unbearable to the ear and made people quite uncomfortable.
- ，不堪入耳。Nà shǒu yīn yuè xuán lǜ cū cāo, jiǎn zhí bù kān rù ěr.That piece of music has a rough melody — it's simply offensive to the ear.
- ，不堪入耳，。Zhè duàn xiàng sheng nèi róng dī sú, bù kān rù ěr, bú shì hé ér tóng.This cross-talk routine has vulgar content, offensive to the ear, and is not suitable for children.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.