耐人寻味

耐人尋味

nàirén-xúnwèi

idiom HSK 7-9 #39,420

Meanings

1 thought-provoking
2 intriguing
3 worth pondering over

Characters

to endure; to withstand

to search; to seek

Examples

这部电影的结局耐人寻味。

Zhèbù diànyǐng de jiéjú nàirénxúnwèi.

The ending of this movie is thought-provoking.

他说的话耐人寻味。

Tā shuō dehuà nàirénxúnwèi.

What he said is worth pondering.

Tips

memory

耐 (endure) + 人 (people) + 寻 (search for) + 味 (flavor/meaning) — it endures people searching for its meaning, i.e., there's depth worth exploring.

Stroke Order

耐 nài

人 rén

寻 xún

味 wèi