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激动不已 (jī dòng bù yǐ) — extremely excited; unable to contain one's excitement

Definition

激动不已 emphasizes that excitement has reached a point that CANNOT be stopped — the 不已 pattern marks a strong, ongoing emotion. It is a chengyu-style phrase used in writing or dramatic speech, more literary than a plain 激动.

verb
extremely excitedunable to contain one's excitement

Examples

  • ，激动不已。
    Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, tā jī dòng bù yǐ.
    Hearing this news, he was extremely excited.
  • 激动不已，。
    Guān zhòng men jī dòng bù yǐ, fēn fēn gǔ zhǎng.
    The audience was extremely excited and applauded one after another.
  • 激动不已，。
    Tā jī dòng bù yǐ, yǎn lèi dōu liú chū lái le.
    She was so excited that tears streamed down.

Origin

Characters in this word

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
敫
敫jiǎo激jī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 激, the 氵 side marks water, and 敫 gives the sound jiǎo; the original sense is water swashing.

Open 激 →

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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 →

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

The shape of 已 may originally have been a drawing of either a snake or a fetus.

Open 已 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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