紧追不舍 (jǐn zhuī bù shě) — to chase closely without giving up; to pursue relentlessly

Definition

A vivid idiom for chasing or pursuing someone relentlessly, with no sense of giving up. It frames the action as both close pursuit and persistence, often for catching a target or seizing an opportunity.

idiom
to chase closely without giving upto pursue relentlessly

Examples

  • 紧追不舍。
    Jǐng chá duì xián yí rén jǐn zhuī bù shě.
    The police chased the suspect closely without giving up.
  • 紧追不舍，。
    Tā jǐn zhuī bù shě, zhōng yú zhuā zhù le jī huì.
    He pursued relentlessly and finally seized the opportunity.
  • ，紧追不舍，。
    Zài bǐ sài zhōng, tā jǐn zhuī bù shě duì shǒu, zuì zhōng huò shèng.
    In the competition, he chased his opponent closely and eventually won.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

紧追chase closely
紧jǐnclosely追zhuīchase
偏正Modifier + head
不舍not give up
不bùnot舍shègive up
偏正Modifier + head

紧追 gives chase closely, 不舍 gives not give up; together they picture relentless pursuit.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 緊; 紧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
臤
臤qiān緊jǐn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緊 pairs 糸 (thread) with 臤 as a sound part; the simplified 紧 is a later shorthand.

Open 紧 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòmovement
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂤
𠂤𠂤追zhuī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 辶 part shows movement, while 𠂤 gives the sound, for the sense of moving after or pursuing.

Open 追 →

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 →

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
余
余yú舍shè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

舍 is 余 plus 口. 余 was the original picture for this word, and 口 was later added to distinguish it.

Open 舍 →

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