Chinese word

受不了

Pronunciation

Pinyinshòu bù liǎo

Meaning

  • verbcan't stand

Example

我受不了这个味道。wǒ shòu bù liǎo zhè ge wèi dào

I can't stand this smell.

Illustration for 受不了 (can't stand)

More examples

他在喧闹的街上快受不了了。tā zài xuān nào de jiē shàng kuài shòu bù liǎo le

He can hardly stand it anymore on the noisy street.

Core concept

Endurance breaks at the point where an unwanted experience becomes too much to accept.

Common phrases

  • 受不了压力shòu bù liǎo yā lì

    can't stand pressure

  • 受不了味道shòu bù liǎo wèi dào

    can't stand the smell

Similar words

忍不住rěn bú zhù: Being unable to keep an urge, word, or action from coming out.
忍受rěn shòu: Enduring something painful, unpleasant, or difficult.
承受chéng shòu: Sustaining pressure, loss, or other harm imposed from outside.

Definition in Chinese

对某个人、气味、声音或情形感到无法忍耐，常指当场或瞬间的不能接受。duì mǒu gè rén qì wèi shēng yīn huò qíng xíng gǎn dào wú fǎ rěn nài cháng zhǐ dāng chǎng huò shùn jiān de bù néng jiē shòu

Word origin

受 (shòu, "endure") combines with 不了 (bùliǎo, "cannot") to show that enduring the experience is no longer possible.

Usage tips

  • In casual speech, degree words meaning "too" or "really" can strengthen this expression, so it often sounds like an immediate emotional outburst rather than a measured complaint.

Other meanings

  • can't take it anymoreverb

Opposites

  • 受得了shòu de lecan standverb
  • 忍得住rěn de zhùcan hold outverb

Word lists with this word