不禁
bù jīn HSK 6

English Meaning

Categories

📚 Example Sentences

听到笑话,他不禁笑了。
Tīng dào xiàohuà, tā bùjīn xiào le.
Hearing the joke, he couldn't help but laugh.
看到美景,她不禁赞叹。
Kàn dào měijǐng, tā bùjīn zàntàn.
Seeing the beautiful scenery, she involuntarily praised it.
想起往事,我不禁流泪。
Xiǎng qǐ wǎngshì, wǒ bùjīn liúlèi.
Recalling the past, I couldn't refrain from crying.
他听了不禁笑了。
Tā tīngle bùjīn xiàole.
He couldn't help laughing after hearing it.
我不禁感到惊讶。
Wǒ bùjīn gǎndào jīngyà.
I couldn't help feeling surprised.

💡 Memory Tip

Break it down: 不 (bù) means 'not,' and 禁 (jīn) means 'to restrain.' So, 不禁 literally means 'not restrained' → you can't restrain yourself from doing something.

📝 Usage Notes

It is used in both written and spoken Chinese, and is neutral in formality. It commonly appears in narratives to describe sudden emotional reactions like laughter, crying, or surprise, often following a cause or trigger.

📖 Grammar Points

It is typically placed before a verb phrase to modify the action. The structure is often: [Cause/Context],Subject + 不禁 + Verb Phrase. Example: 看到可爱的熊猫,我不禁笑了。

🏯 Cultural Notes

It reflects a cultural emphasis on expressing genuine, unfiltered emotions in response to events, often seen in literature and storytelling to convey authenticity.

🔄 Similar Words

It is similar to 忍不住 (rěnbùzhù), which also means 'can't help.' 不禁 is slightly more literary and often used in written narratives, while 忍不住 is more common in everyday speech and can imply a struggle to hold back.

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