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不假思索 (bù jiǎ sī suǒ) — (idiom) without thinking, without hesitation, to act instantly

Definition

An idiom meaning 'without thinking, instantly' — emphasizes speed and automatic reflex. 毅然 stresses a firm, deliberate resolve after deciding, not a thoughtless reflex.

idiom
without thinkingwithout hesitationto act instantly

Examples

  • ，不假思索。
    Kàn dào zhè ge wèn tí, tā bù jiǎ sī suǒ dì gěi chū le dá àn.
    Seeing this question, he gave the answer without thinking.
  • 不假思索，。
    Bié bù jiǎ sī suǒ dì zuò jué dìng, yào sān sī ér hòu xíng.
    Don't make decisions without thinking; think twice before acting.
  • 不假思索。
    Jǐng chá bù jiǎ sī suǒ dì chōng jìn le zháo huǒ de fáng zi.
    The police officer rushed into the burning house without hesitation.

Origin

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 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
叚
叚jiǎ假jiǎ
Same sound today

假 pairs 亻 (person) with 叚, which gives the sound jiǎ.

Open 假 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
囟
囟xìn思sī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 思, 心 (heart) points to thinking, while the top part is a changed form of 囟, which supplied the sound.

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

  • 糸糸mìthread
  • 𣎳𣎳𣎳strip fibres off a hemp stalk

索 combines 糸 (thread) and 𣎳 (stripping fibres from a hemp stalk), showing threads or rope being pulled out from a fabric.

Open 索 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.