HSK · Level 114
45 words
Chinese word
无形中
Pronunciation
Pinyinwú xíng zhōng
Meaning
- adverbwithout realizing it
Example
无形中时间就过去了。wú xíng zhōng shí jiān jiù guò qù le
Before I knew it, time had passed.
More examples
不良习惯在无形中积累，影响人的健康。bù liáng xí guàn zài wú xíng zhōng jī lěi yíng xiǎng rén de jiàn kāng
Bad habits build up without us realizing it and affect people's health.
Core concept
An influence or change takes shape quietly beyond clear signs, so its effect appears before anyone notices the process.
Common phrases
在无形中zài wú xíng zhōng
without realizing it
在无形中积累zài wú xíng zhōng jī lěi
accumulate imperceptibly
在无形中起作用zài wú xíng zhōng qǐ zuò yòng
take effect imperceptibly
Similar words
不知不觉bù zhī bù jué: Time or a situation changes so quietly that no one notices while it happens.
逐渐zhú jiàn: A change develops step by step, with each stage happening a little at a time.
不经意间bù jīng yì jiān: Something happens unexpectedly in a moment when no one is consciously paying attention.
慢慢màn màn: A change takes place at a slow pace as time passes.
Definition in Chinese
指在没有明显形态或迹象的情况下，影响、变化或结果悄然出现。zhǐ zài méi yǒu míng xiǎn xíng tài huò jì xiàng de qíng kuàng xià yíng xiǎng biàn huà huò jié guǒ qiǎo rán chū xiàn
Word origin
无形中 (wúxíngzhōng, "imperceptibly") combines 无 (wú, "without") + 形 (xíng, "form") + 中 (zhōng, "within"), giving a literal picture of something developing where no visible form marks the process.
Usage tips
- As an adverb, it often comes before a verb phrase and links a gradual background process to the result that follows.
Other meanings
- imperceptiblyadverb
Opposites
- 明显地míng xiǎn dìobviouslyadverb
- 有意识地yǒu yì shí dìconsciouslyadverb