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不可或缺

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: bù kě huò quē
  • English Translation: Indispensable (cannot be missing)
  • Idiom Composition: Not (negation)Can or may (possibility)Even a little (functions as an intensifier meaning "at all" in this context)To lack or be missing
  • Meaning: Extremely important to the point that something cannot exist or function without it; an absolute necessity that cannot be missing even in the slightest degree.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

不可或缺 contains the following nuances:

  • Absolute Necessity: This idiom does not just mean "important"; it refers to an irreplaceable element where the whole would fail to function if that specific part were missing.
  • The Nuance of 或 (huò): In this specific idiom, the character 或 (huò) acts as an intensifier meaning "even a little." It emphasizes the strictness of the requirement—that the item cannot be missing even in the smallest amount.

3. Usage

不可或缺 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Importance as a component: Used to describe a specific part of a system, team, or lifestyle that plays a decisive and necessary role.
    • Example:水是人类生存不可或缺的资源。
      Water is an indispensable resource for human survival.)
  • Evaluating people or roles: Used to praise a person's contribution or presence within an organization, suggesting they are irreplaceable.
    • Example:他在这个项目中扮演了不可或缺的角色。
      He played an indispensable role in this project.)
  • Abstract concepts: Frequently used to describe invisible but essential foundations like trust, health, or education.
    • Example:信任是建立良好人际关系不可或缺的基础。
      Trust is an indispensable foundation for building good interpersonal relationships.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 手机已经成为现代人生活中不可或缺的一部分。
    Mobile phones have already become an indispensable part of modern life.
  2. 对于成功来说,勤奋是不可或缺的条件。
    For success, diligence is an indispensable condition.
  3. 维生素是我们身体健康不可或缺的营养素。
    Vitamins are indispensable nutrients for our physical health.
  4. 团队合作是这家公司成功的不可或缺的因素。
    Teamwork is an indispensable factor in this company's success.
  5. 无论科技如何发展,阅读依然是获取知识不可或缺的途径。
    No matter how technology develops, reading remains an indispensable way to acquire knowledge.

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Frequency of Use: This is a very common and somewhat formal expression used in daily conversation, news, and academic writing. While it is nearly synonymous with 必不可少 (bì bù kě shǎo), 不可或缺 (bù kě huò quē) carries a more literary and professional tone.
  • Structure: The character 或 (huò) here retains an archaic meaning of "at all" or "slightly." While not used this way in modern isolation, it provides the idiom with its sense of "not even a little can be missing."

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

不可或缺 (bù kě huò quē) is a formal idiom used to emphasize that something is an "indispensable" or "essential" part of a whole. It can describe physical necessities like water and air, or abstract concepts like trust and love. It is frequently used in professional and academic contexts to highlight a critical component.

Idiom Essay

bù kě huò quē
不可或缺
Indispensable
wǒ men我们kě yǐ可以zàinǎo hǎi脑海zuòyí gè一个xiǎoshí yàn实验

Let's do a small experiment in your mind.

xiǎng xiàng想象zhèng zài正在wán chéng完成yī jiàn一件shìbǐ rú比如zuòyī dào一道càiyí gè一个tuán duì团队huò zhě或者wéi xì维系yī duàn一段guān xì关系

Imagine you are completing a task, like cooking a dish, forming a team, or maintaining a relationship.

hěnduōdōng xī东西ná zǒu拿走zhī hòu之后dǐng duō顶多zhǐ shì只是biàn dé变得bù fāng biàn不方便huò zhě或者shǎolediǎnlè qù乐趣

After removing many things, at most it just becomes inconvenient or less enjoyable.

dànyǒuyī xiē一些dōng xī东西yí dàn一旦quēlezhěng jiàn整件shìjiùhuìlì kè立刻chēngbú zhù不住zài zěn me再怎么bǔ jiù补救hěnnánhuí lái回来

But there are some things that, once missing, the whole matter immediately falls apart and is hard to fix no matter what you do.

zhōng wén中文yǒuyí gè一个chéng yǔ成语zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种quē le缺了jiùbù xíng不行deguān jiàn关键yào sù要素jiàobù kě huò quē不可或缺

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically used to describe this kind of 'can't do without' key element, called “不可或缺”.

cóngyòng fǎ用法shàngkàndeyì si意思hěnmíng què明确jiù shì就是bù néng不能quē shǎo缺少shào bù liǎo少不了

From its usage, its meaning is very clear: 'cannot be lacking' or 'essential'.

cháng yòng常用láiqiáng diào强调mǒuyào sù要素debì yào xìng必要性yóu qí尤其shìnà zhǒng那种píng shí平时xiǎn yǎn显眼dànyí dàn一旦méi yǒu没有jiùhuìràngjié guǒ结果chè dǐ彻底biàn yàng变样dedōng xī东西

It is often used to emphasize the necessity of a certain element, especially those that are usually unnoticed but once absent, completely change the outcome.

bǐ rú比如zuò cài做菜shídeyán

For example, salt when cooking.

bú huì不会qiǎng zǒu抢走zhǔ jué主角defēng tou风头fèn liàng分量dànshǎolewèi dào味道jiùhuìlì kè立刻biàn dé变得guǎ dàn寡淡zhěng dào整道càidōubú duì jìn不对劲

It doesn't steal the spotlight or take up much quantity, but without it, the taste immediately becomes bland and the whole dish feels off.

suǒ yǐ所以kě yǐ可以shuōyánduìzhèdàocàiláishuōbù kě huò quē不可或缺

So you can say salt is 不可或缺 for this dish.

zàibǐ rú比如tuán duì团队hé zuò合作degōu tōng沟通

Another example is communication in teamwork.

dà jiā大家pèi hé配合shùn lì顺利shíhěnshǎozhuān mén专门tányí dàn一旦gōu tōng沟通zhōng duàn中断xiǎowèn tí问题jiùróng yì容易bèifàng dà放大shèn zhì甚至yǐn fā引发yán zhòng严重dewù huì误会chōng tū冲突

When everyone cooperates smoothly, it is rarely discussed, but once communication breaks down, small problems easily get magnified and can even cause serious misunderstandings and conflicts.

suǒ yǐ所以kě yǐ可以shuōgōu tōng沟通shìtuán duì团队xié zuò协作zhōngbù kě huò quē不可或缺deyī huán一环

So communication can also be said to be an 不可或缺 part of team collaboration.

bù kě huò quē不可或缺cháng yòng常用láixíng róng形容gèngchōu xiàng抽象dedōng xī东西

“不可或缺” is also often used to describe more abstract things.

bǐ rú比如rénrénzhī jiān之间dexìn rèn信任

For example, trust between people.

píng shí平时kě néng可能gǎn jué感觉bú dào不到decún zài存在dànyí dàn一旦xìn rèn信任pò liè破裂guān xì关系hěnkuàijiùhuìdòng yáo动摇hěn duō很多huàzài zěn me再怎么jiě shì解释jiě shì解释huí qù回去

Usually, you might not feel its presence, but once trust breaks, the relationship quickly becomes unstable and no amount of explanation can fix it.

yú shì于是wǒ men我们huìshuōxìn rèn信任shìguān xì关系bù kě huò quē不可或缺dejī chǔ基础

Therefore, we say trust is the 不可或缺 foundation in relationships.

yǒu shí有时shèn zhì甚至kě yǐ可以yòngzàiyī xiē一些nà me那么ràngrénxǐ huān喜欢dejīng lì经历shàng

Sometimes, it can even be used for experiences that are not so pleasant.

bǐ rú比如cuò zhé挫折

For example, setbacks.

méi yǒu没有rénzhǔ dòng主动xiǎng yào想要shī bài失败dànhuí tóu回头kànshíhuìfā xiàn发现xǔ duō许多néng lì能力xīn tài心态qià qià恰恰shìzàiyī cì cì一次次pèng bì碰壁zhī hòu之后chū lái出来de

No one actively wants to fail, but looking back, you find many skills and mindsets are precisely honed after repeated failures.

yú shì于是kě yǐ可以chéng rèn承认cuò zhé挫折shìchéng zhǎng成长guò chéng过程zhōngbù kě huò quē不可或缺deyī bù fèn一部分

So you can also admit setbacks are an 不可或缺 part of growth.

zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们zhòng yào重要deyí dìng一定shìzuìyào yǎn耀眼de

This idiom reminds us that what is important is not necessarily the most dazzling.

zhēn zhèng真正bù kě huò quē不可或缺dewǎng wǎng往往shìnà ge那个mò mò默默zhī chēng支撑quán jú全局dehé xīn核心tiáo jiàn条件

What is truly 不可或缺 is often the core condition silently supporting the whole situation.

xià cì下次dāngxiǎngbiǎo dá表达mǒurénhuòmǒujiànshìzhǐ shì只是tǐngzhòng yào重要ér shì而是shǎolejiùchéng lì成立jiùkě yǐ可以yòngbù kě huò quē不可或缺

Next time, when you want to express that someone or something is not just 'quite important' but 'cannot exist without it,' you can use “不可或缺”.

chuán dá传达debú shì不是kuā zhāng夸张ér shì而是yī zhǒng一种qīng xī清晰depàn duàn判断zhè ge这个yào sù要素zàiqí zhōng其中dezuò yòng作用bù kě不可tì dài替代

It conveys not exaggeration, but a clear judgment that this element's role is irreplaceable.

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