吃不消

chībuxiāo

verb #20,210

Meanings

这么重的工作量，我真的吃不消。

Zhème zhòng de gōngzuòliàng, wǒzhēn de chībuxiāo.

I really can't handle such a heavy workload.

天气太热，她有点吃不消。

Tiānqì tài rè, tā yǒudiǎn chībuxiāo.

The weather is too hot; she's finding it hard to bear.

连续熬夜，身体吃不消。

Liánxù áoyè, shēntǐ chībuxiāo.

Staying up several nights in a row, the body can't take it.

grammar

吃不消 is a potential complement construction: 吃 (bear/endure) + 不 (cannot) + 消 (dissolve/cope with). The affirmative form 吃得消 means 'can handle it'.

吃 chī

不 bù

消 xiāo