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别提 (bié tí) — don't mention, no need to bring up; (in the pattern 别提多…了) extremely, indescribably

Definition

Two uses: (1) as a set phrase, 'don't mention / no need to bring up' (often a touch dismissive); (2) in the pattern 别提多…了, it means 'extremely / indescribably' before an adjective.

verb
don't mentionno need to bring up(in the pattern 别提多…了) extremelyindescribably

Examples

  • 别提。
    Nà jiàn bù yú kuài de shì nǐ jiù bié tí le.
    Just don't mention that unpleasant matter.
  • ，别提。
    Tā tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, bié tí duō gāo xìng le.
    When he heard the news, he was extremely happy.
  • 别提，。
    Zhè lǐ de fēng jǐng bié tí duō měi le, nǐ yí dìng yào lái kàn kàn.
    The scenery here is indescribably beautiful — you must come see it.

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.

别biédo not
提tímention

Do not and mention combine to mean no need to bring up.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 別; 别 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 別 pairs 冎 (bone) with 刀 (knife), showing a knife cutting up bone and flesh. The simplified 别 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 别 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
是
是shì提tí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

提 shows 扌 (hand) beside 是, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 提 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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