喜不自胜

喜不自勝

xǐbù-zìshèng

idiom

Meanings

1 unable to contain one's joy
2 overjoyed
3 beside oneself with happiness

Characters

joy / happiness

to bear / withstand

Examples

HSK 1

听到女儿考上了大学，他喜不自胜。

Tīngdào nǚ'ér kǎoshàng le dàxué, tā xǐbúzìshèng.

On hearing his daughter got into university, he was beside himself with joy.

HSK 7-9

得知中奖的消息，她喜不自胜，激动得说不出话。

Dézhī zhòngjiǎng de xiāoxi, tā xǐbúzìshèng, jīdòng de shuō bu chū huà.

Hearing the news that she had won the prize, she was so overjoyed she couldn't speak.

Tips

history

First attested in the Yuan dynasty play 《西厢记》 (Romance of the Western Chamber) by 王实甫: 承夫人亲自饯行，喜不自胜 ('that the lady should send him off in person - he could not contain his joy'). The phrase has been a stock literary expression of overflowing delight ever since.

memory

Key character is 胜 here meaning 'to bear / to withstand' - not 'to win.' So 不自胜 = 'cannot bear oneself,' i.e., the joy is too much to handle. Same usage in 不胜感激 (immeasurably grateful).

Stroke Order

喜 xǐ

不 bù

自 zì

胜 shèng