不容 (bù róng) — cannot tolerate; must not allow; to not allow (… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal, written verb meaning 'must not allow / cannot tolerate' — stronger than 不要 and used for firm prohibitions (不容篡改, 不容质疑). Contrast with 不许 (forbid) and 不得 (in rules): both are more rule-like; 容忍 is its opposite, 'to tolerate'.

verb

cannot toleratemust not allowto not allow (something to happen)

Examples

不容。
Zhè ge shì shí bù róng cuàn gǎi.
This fact must not be tampered with.
不容。
Tā de jué dìng bù róng zhì yí.
His decision cannot be questioned.
不容。
Zhè yàng de cuò wù bù róng zài fàn.
Such mistakes must not be repeated.

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.

容róngallow/contain

不 ('not') with 容 ('allow, contain') means 'cannot allow' or 'cannot tolerate'.

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.

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

宀宀mián

Sound part声符shēngfú

公

公gōng容róng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 容, the 宀 (roof) part points to holding or containing, and 公 gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Attitudes & Opinions

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