吃得消

chīdexiāo

phrase #34,422

Meanings

1 to be able to bear / endure (exertion, fatigue)
2 to be able to take it
3 to be able to afford

Characters

to eat, to bear

particle (potential)

to dispel, dissipate

Examples

每天加班到深夜，谁吃得消？

Měi tiān jiābān dào shēnyè, shéi chīdexiāo?

Working overtime till late every night — who can take it?

他身体好，跑十公里没问题，吃得消。

Tā shēntǐ hǎo, pǎo shí gōnglǐ méi wèntí, chīdexiāo.

He's in good shape — running ten kilometers is no problem, he can handle it.

Tips

grammar

吃得消 follows the potential-complement pattern: verb + 得/不 + complement. The opposite is 吃不消 (chībuxiāo, can't bear it / can't take it). Don't confuse with 吃得下 (chīdexià, can manage to eat / has appetite) — 消 here means 'to dispel / digest', so 吃得消 is figuratively 'able to digest the strain.'

Stroke Order

吃 chī

得 dé

消 xiāo