靠不住

kàobuzhù

adjective #16,263

Meanings

1 unreliable
2 untrustworthy

Characters

to lean on; to rely on

to hold firm; to stay

Examples

这个人靠不住，别信他的话。

Zhège rén kàobuzhù, bié xìn tā de huà.

This person is unreliable, don't believe what he says.

天气预报有时候靠不住。

Tiānqì yùbào yǒu shíhou kàobuzhù.

Weather forecasts are sometimes unreliable.

Tips

grammar

A resultative complement structure: 靠 (lean on) + 不 (not) + 住 (firmly). The positive form is 靠得住 (reliable). This 得/不+住 pattern appears in many verbs: 记得住/记不住, 站得住/站不住.

Stroke Order

靠 kào

不 bù

住 zhù