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不切实际 (bù qiè shí jì) — unrealistic; impractical; not grounded in reality

Definition

Used to describe ideas, plans, or goals that are out of touch with real conditions. Often appears as a critique of overly ambitious or idealistic thinking.

adjective
unrealisticimpracticalnot grounded in reality

Examples

  • ，不切实际。
    Tā de xiǎng fǎ suī rán hěn hǎo, dàn shì tài bù qiè shí jì le.
    His idea is very nice, but it's too unrealistic.
  • ，不切实际。
    Zhì dìng jì huà yào xiàn shí yì xiē, bú yào bù qiè shí jì.
    When making plans, you need to be realistic and not be unrealistic.
  • 不切实际。
    Zhè zhǒng bù qiè shí jì de mù biāo zhī huì ràng rén shī wàng.
    This kind of unrealistic goal will only disappoint people.

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
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
七
七qī切qiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 切, the 刀 (knife) part is joined to 七, which gives the sound.

Open 切 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 際; 际 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
祭
祭jì際⁰jì
Same sound today

The traditional form 際 pairs 阝 with 祭: 阝 gives the meaning and 祭 gives the sound. The simplified 际 is a later shorthand.

Open 际 →
Appears in
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