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不起

bùqǐ
verb

Meanings

  1. 1 cannot afford to
  2. 2 unable to bear; not up to
  3. 3 not to get up; unable to get up (from bed or illness)

Examples

HSK 3
这里的房子太贵了，我们住不起。
Zhèli de fángzi tài guì le, wǒmen zhù buqǐ.
The flats here are too expensive. We can't afford to live here.
HSK 6
您太客气了，这么贵重的礼物我可受不起。
Nín tài kèqi le, zhème guìzhòng de lǐwù wǒ kě shòu buqǐ.
You're too kind. I really can't accept such a valuable gift.
HSK 6
都十点了，他还赖在床上不起。
Dōu shí diǎn le, tā hái lài zài chuáng shàng bùqǐ.
It's ten o'clock and he's still lying in bed, refusing to get up.

Tips

grammar
After a verb, 不起 says you can't do something because you lack the money, strength or standing: 买不起 'can't afford to buy', 惹不起 'can't afford to cross', 经不起 'can't stand up to'. The positive form swaps in 得: 买得起 'can afford'. In this position the 不 loses its tone: mǎibuqǐ.
usage
看不起 'to look down on', 了不起 'amazing' and 对不起 'sorry' grew out of this pattern but are now words of their own, so their meaning can't be worked out from the parts. Without a verb in front, 不起 simply means 'not get up', as in 卧床不起 'bedridden'.

Stroke Order

不 bù
起 qǐ