Chinese word

牵绊

Pronunciation

Pinyinqiān bàn

Meaning

  • nounconstraint

Example

过去的感情成了我的牵绊。guò qù de gǎn qíng chéng le wǒ de qiān bàn

My past feelings became a constraint on me.

Illustration for 牵绊 (constraint)

More examples

他还没摆脱过去的牵绊。tā hái méi bǎi tuō guò qù de qiān bàn

He still hasn't broken free from the constraints of the past.

Core concept

A personal tie that pulls someone back and makes forward movement or a decision harder.

Common phrases

  • 摆脱牵绊bǎi tuō qiān bàn

    break free from constraints

  • 放下牵绊fàng xià qiān bàn

    let go of constraints

  • 没有牵绊méi yǒu qiān bàn

    have no constraints

Similar words

束缚shù fù: A force or condition that limits freedom or action and makes movement difficult.
牵挂qiān guà: A feeling of concern that keeps someone thinking about a distant person or event.
负担fù dān: A responsibility or problem that weighs heavily on the body, mind, or daily life.
障碍zhàng ài: A thing or situation that blocks progress or makes a goal harder to achieve.

Definition in Chinese

因感情、牵连或责任而限制个人行动或决定的状态或事物。yīn gǎn qíng qiān lián huò zé rèn ér xiàn zhì gè rén xíng dòng huò jué dìng de zhuàng tài huò shì wù

Word origin

牵 (qiān, "to pull") + 绊 (bàn, "to trip") combines the ideas of being pulled and losing one's footing, forming a word for something that holds a person back.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this noun usually presents the difficulty as personal, such as an old attachment or a duty, rather than as a formal rule.

Other meanings

  • hindrancenoun
  • hurdlenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word