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不堪

bùkān
adjective HSK 7-9 #9,585

Meanings

  1. 1 unbearable; unable to endure
  2. 2 utterly (bad); extremely (negative)

Characters

不
bù
not; unable
堪
kān
to bear; to endure
Literally 'cannot bear/endure' - always used with negative connotations.

Examples

HSK 7-9
他的处境不堪设想。
Tā de chǔjìng bùkān-shèxiǎng.
His situation is too terrible to imagine.
HSK 7-9
那段回忆不堪回首。
Nàduàn huíyì bùkān-huíshǒu.
Those memories are too painful to look back on.
HSK 7-9
道路不堪，到处都是坑。
Dàolù bùkān, dàochù dōu shì kēng.
The road is in terrible condition, with potholes everywhere.

Tips

usage
不堪 frequently appears in four-character combinations: 不堪设想 (too terrible to imagine), 不堪回首 (too painful to look back on), 不堪入目 (too ugly/shocking to look at), 不堪一击 (can't withstand a single blow = extremely fragile). It's always negative - never used positively.

Stroke Order

不 bù
堪 kān