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

HSK 3

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.

HSK 5

天气预报有时候靠不住。

Tiānqì yùbào yǒushíhou 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