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不断 (bù duàn) — (adverb) continuously, constantly; (verb) to be unceasing; to continue without interruption

Definition

不断 emphasizes uninterrupted continuity — an action keeps happening without pause, stronger than 一直 ('all along / straight ahead'). Pairs with verbs or nouns (不断出现, 不断进步); use 连续 for countable events in sequence.

adverb
continuouslyconstantly
verb
to be unceasingto continue without interruption

Examples

  • 不断。
    Tā bù duàn xué xí xīn zhī shi.
    He continuously learns new knowledge.
  • 不断。
    Wèn tí bù duàn chū xiàn.
    Problems keep appearing.
  • 不断。
    Tā de jìn bù bù duàn.
    His progress is unceasing.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

不bùnot
断duànbreak

不 negates 断 (break), giving 'not broken' and then 'continuous, uninterrupted'.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 斷; 断 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 斷 uses 𢇍 (to cut) and 斤 (axe) together.

Open 断 →

Grammar

Appears in
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