不堪重负

不堪重負

bùkānzhòngfù

idiom #31,330

Meanings

1 unable to bear a heavy burden; overwhelmed
2 buckling under the weight (of pressure, debt, expectations)

Characters

to be able to bear

burden, to carry

Examples

公司债务高达几个亿，已经不堪重负。

Gōngsī zhàiwù gāo dá jǐ gè yì, yǐjīng bùkān zhòngfù.

The company's debt has reached hundreds of millions; it can no longer cope.

长期的工作压力让他不堪重负，最终倒下了。

Chángqī de gōngzuò yālì ràng tā bùkān zhòngfù, zuìzhōng dǎo xià le.

Long-term work pressure overwhelmed him, and he finally collapsed.

Tips

usage

Modern set phrase rather than a classical chengyu — 不堪 'cannot bear' + 重负 'heavy load'. Used heavily in news writing about economies, healthcare systems, infrastructure, and people pushed past their limit. Pairs naturally with abstract burdens (debt, demand, pressure) more than physical ones.

Stroke Order

不 bù

堪 kān

重 zhòng

负 fù