不绝于耳 (bù jué yú ěr) — to linger in one's ears (of sounds, voices, or words that are heard continuously)

Definition

Idiom: sounds (applause, voices, criticism) that keep coming and stay in one's ears — emphasizes continuous, unceasing noise or speech rather than a single echo.

idiom
to linger in one's ears (of sounds, voices, or words that are heard continuously)

Examples

  • 不绝于耳，。
    Zhǎng shēng bù jué yú ěr, jiǔ jiǔ bù tíng.
    The applause lingered in our ears, not stopping for a long time.
  • 不绝于耳，。
    Tā de pī píng zhì jīn bù jué yú ěr, ràng wǒ fǎn sī le hěn jiǔ.
    His criticism still rings in my ears, making me reflect for a long time.
  • 不绝于耳，。
    Jiē shàng jiào mài shēng bù jué yú ěr, chōng mǎn le shēng huó qì xī.
    The hawking sounds on the street were incessant, full of the flavor of life.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 絕; 绝 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 絕, 刀 (knife) and 幺 (silk) show a knife cutting silk threads. The simplified 绝 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original picture.

Open 绝 →

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

  • 一一yīflat stream of air
  • 丂丂kǎoto exhale

The old shape of 于 may have pictured an ancient wind instrument. Another explanation reads 一 as a flat stream of air and 丂 as an exhaling mark.

Open 于 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

耳 is drawn as a picture of an ear.

Open 耳 →

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