Definition
够呛 (gòu qiàng) is a colloquial adjective meaning 'awful, unbearable' for a situation that is hard to endure, often used after 得 (e.g., 累得够呛). It can also be placed before a verb to express doubt ('hardly possible'). Unlike 受不了, which emphasizes inability to endure, and 糟糕, which is a general exclamation for a bad situation, 够呛 is more idiomatic and implies the situation is nearly intolerable.
adjective
awfulunbearableterrible (describes a situation that is hard to endure)unlikelyhardly possible (used before a verb to express doubt)
Examples
- 够呛,。Jīntiān lèi de gòu qiàng, bùxiǎng dòng le.I'm so exhausted today I can't move.
- 够呛,。Tā gòu qiàng néng tōngguò kǎoshì, yīnwèi gēnběn méi fùxí.It's unlikely he'll pass the exam because he didn't review at all.
- 够呛,。Zhè gōngzuò zhēn gòu qiàng, yì tiān jiābān bā xiǎoshí.This job is awful — eight hours of overtime a day.
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