不胜 (bùshèng): cannot bear

Meanings

1 cannot bear
2 unable to stand
3 extremely
4 very (used in formal expressions)

Characters

不

to bear / to endure / to surpass / to win

Examples

感谢您的帮助，不胜感激。

Gǎnxiè nín de bāngzhù, bùshèng gǎnjī.

Thank you for your help — I am extremely grateful.

工作太多，他不胜其烦。

Gōngzuò tài duō, tā bùshèng qí fán.

There was too much work; he couldn't bear the annoyance.

Tips

usage

不胜 is formal and literary. The fixed phrase 不胜感激 (bùshèng gǎnjī) is a common written expression meaning 'extremely grateful' / 'I cannot overstate my gratitude.' Other common compounds: 不胜其烦 (pestered beyond endurance), 不胜枚举 (too many to list).