不禁

bùjīn

adverb HSK 6 #11,943

Meanings

1 can't help (doing something); can't refrain from
2 involuntarily; despite oneself

Characters

to endure; to bear; to refrain

Cannot refrain — doing something involuntarily because the feeling is too strong.

Examples

听到这个消息，她不禁哭了起来。

Tīng dào zhège xiāoxi, tā bù jīn kū le qǐlái.

Upon hearing the news, she couldn't help but cry.

看到这幅画，我不禁想起了家乡。

Kàn dào zhè fú huà, wǒ bù jīn xiǎng qǐ le jiāxiāng.

Seeing this painting, I couldn't help but think of my hometown.

他的笑话让大家不禁大笑。

Tā de xiàohua ràng dàjiā bù jīn dà xiào.

His joke made everyone burst into laughter involuntarily.

不禁让人感叹时间过得真快。

Bù jīn ràng rén gǎntàn shíjiān guò de zhēn kuài.

One can't help but sigh that time passes so quickly.

Tips

grammar

The 禁 here is read jīn (first tone), NOT jìn. When 禁 means 'to endure/bear,' it's jīn. When it means 'to prohibit/ban,' it's jìn. 不禁 (bù jīn) = can't refrain; 禁止 (jìnzhǐ) = to prohibit.

usage

不禁 is more literary than 忍不住 (rěn bu zhù), which also means 'can't help but.' Use 不禁 in writing and formal speech, 忍不住 in casual conversation.

Stroke Order

不 bù

禁 jìn