Chinese word

了不起

Pronunciation

Pinyinliǎo bù qǐ

Meaning

  • adjectiveamazing

Example

你了不起，做得很好。nǐ liǎo bù qǐ zuò de hěn hǎo

You are amazing; you did very well.

Illustration for 了不起 (amazing)

More examples

他的表现真了不起。tā de biǎo xiàn zhēn liǎo bù qǐ

His performance is truly amazing.

Core concept

An exceptional person or thing stands far above the usual standard and draws surprised praise.

Common phrases

  • 很了不起hěn liǎo bù qǐ

    very amazing

  • 真了不起zhēn liǎo bù qǐ

    truly amazing

  • 了不起的人liǎo bù qǐ de rén

    amazing person

Similar words

厉害lì hài: Very strong or skillful, to an extent that commands admiration.
优秀yōu xiù: High in ability, achievement, results, or quality.
出色chū sè: Outstanding in a particular way and noticeable for its excellence.

Definition in Chinese

表示某人或某事出乎寻常的优秀或令人惊讶，带有赞赏的语气。biǎo shì mǒu rén huò mǒu shì chū hū xún cháng de yōu xiù huò lìng rén jīng yà dài yǒu zàn shǎng de yǔ qì

Word origin

了不起 (liǎobùqǐ, "amazing") developed as a spoken variant related to 了不得 (liǎobude, "extraordinary"), and the older emphatic expression became a fixed term of admiration.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, this adjective can praise a result, a skill, or a person, while an exaggerated tone can make the praise sound sarcastic.

Other meanings

  • wonderfuladjective
  • admirableadjective
  • extraordinaryadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word