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不禁

bùjīn
adverb HSK 6 #11,943

Meanings

  1. 1 can't help (doing something); can't refrain from
  2. 2 involuntarily; despite oneself

Characters

不
bù
not
禁
jīn
to endure; to bear; to refrain
Cannot refrain - doing something involuntarily because the feeling is too strong.

Examples

HSK 4
看到这幅画，我不禁想起了家乡。
Kàndào zhè fú huà, wǒ bùjīn xiǎngqǐ le jiāxiāng.
Seeing this painting, I couldn't help but think of my hometown.
HSK 4
他的笑话让大家不禁大笑。
Tā de xiàohua ràng dàjiā bùjīn dàxiào.
His joke made everyone burst into laughter involuntarily.
HSK 7-9
不禁让人感叹时间过得真快。
Bùjīn ràng rén gǎntàn shíjiān guò de zhēn kuài.
One can't help but sigh that time passes so quickly.

Tips

grammar
The 禁 here is read jīn (first tone), NOT jìn. When 禁 means 'to endure/bear,' it's jīn. When it means 'to prohibit/ban,' it's jìn. 不禁 (bù jīn) = can't refrain; 禁止 (jìnzhǐ) = to prohibit.
usage
不禁 is more literary than 忍不住 (rěn bu zhù), which also means 'can't help but.' Use 不禁 in writing and formal speech, 忍不住 in casual conversation.

Stroke Order

不 bù
禁 jìn