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罢休 (bà xiū) — to give up, to stop (a pursuit); to let the matter drop

Definition

罢休 (bàxiū) means 'to give up / let the matter drop,' used almost only in negative or conditional constructions (不肯罢休, 不…决不罢休). Stronger and more emphatic than 放弃, and implies active refusal to stop rather than simply abandoning.

verb
to give upto stop (a pursuit)to let the matter drop

Examples

  • 罢休。
    Wǒ bú huì qīng yì bà xiū de.
    I won't give up easily.
  • ，罢休。
    Tā chī le kuī, bù kěn bà xiū.
    He suffered a loss and is unwilling to let it go.
  • ，罢休。
    Zhè jiàn shì bù chá qīng chǔ, wǒ men jué bú bà xiū.
    We will not stop until we get to the bottom of this matter.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

罢bàstop
休xiūstop

罢 and 休 both mean stopping, so together they express giving 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 罷; 罢 is its simplified writing.

The story is about the traditional form 罷: 网 (a net) and 能 are placed together to show catching a bear with a net. The simplified 罢 is a later abbreviation.

Open 罢 →

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

休 pairs 人 (man) with 木 (tree), showing a person leaning against a tree to rest.

Open 休 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Change & Process

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