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不息 (bù xī) — incessantly; without stopping

Definition

不息 (bùxī) is a literary/learned adverb meaning 'without ceasing' — always used before a verb as 自强不息, 奋斗不息, to convey a sense of continuous, untiring effort.

adverb
incessantlywithout stopping

Examples

  • 不息，。
    Tā bù xī dì xué xí, cóng bù xiū xi.
    He studies incessantly and never rests.
  • 不息。
    Hé shuǐ bù xī dì xiàng dōng liú qù.
    The river flows eastward without stopping.
  • ，不息。
    Jǐn guǎn kùn nan chóng chóng, tā réng rán bù xī dì nǔ lì.
    Despite numerous difficulties, he still works tirelessly.

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.

不bùnot
息xīstop

'不' denies stopping, and '息' means rest or cease, giving incessantly.

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 →

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

In 息, 自 is nose and 心 is heart, showing breath or life passing through one's nose.

Open 息 →
Appears in
Frequency & Duration

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