每天成语
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忍俊不禁

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

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: rěn jùn bù jīn
  • English Translation: Cannot help laughing (unable to restrain a smile)
  • Idiom Composition: 「忍俊」（To restrain a smile (where 忍 means to endure and 俊 refers to a smile or something excellent in this context)）＋「不」（Not）＋「禁」（To endure or restrain）
  • Meaning: To be unable to hold back a smile or laughter because something is so funny, cute, or humorous. It describes a spontaneous and natural reaction that one cannot suppress.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「忍俊不禁」 contains the following nuances:

  • Spontaneous Reaction: This idiom emphasizes a 'can't-help-it' reaction. It is not a forced or polite laugh, but a natural response to genuine humor or a funny situation.
  • Positive Nuance: It generally carries a positive or warm connotation. It is used for innocent amusement or being charmed by something, rather than for mockery or sneering.

3. Usage

「忍俊不禁」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Humorous Situations: The most common usage, describing the reaction to seeing someone's funny actions or a comical sight.
    • Example:「看着小猫追逐自己尾巴的滑稽样子，大家都忍俊不禁。」
      （Watching the kitten's comical attempt to chase its own tail, everyone couldn't help but burst out laughing.)
  • Innocent Mistakes: Used when a child's cute slip of the tongue or an innocent blunder makes one smile warmly.
    • Example:「听到孩子天真幼稚的回答，老师忍俊不禁。」
      （Hearing the child's innocent and naive answer, the teacher could not suppress a smile.)
  • Literary Description: Often used in novels or essays to describe a character's inability to keep a straight face.
    • Example:「读到这篇幽默的文章，我实在忍俊不禁，笑出了声。」
      （Reading this humorous article, I really couldn't help laughing out loud.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 他那夸张的表情让人忍俊不禁。
    （His exaggerated expression made people unable to restrain their laughter.）
  2. 想起刚才发生的误会，她还是忍不住忍俊不禁。
    （Recalling the misunderstanding from earlier, she still couldn't help but smile.）
  3. 这部喜剧电影的情节设计巧妙，令观众忍俊不禁。
    （The plot of this comedy film was so cleverly designed that it kept the audience laughing.）
  4. 看到平时严肃的老板戴着卡通帽子，员工们都忍俊不禁。
    （Seeing the usually stern boss wearing a cartoon hat, the employees all burst into laughter.）
  5. 虽然是个严肃的场合，但他滑稽的动作还是让我忍俊不禁。
    （Although it was a solemn occasion, his clumsy movements still made me unable to hold back a laugh.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Etymology: The term 忍俊 (rěn jùn) has various interpretations, but in this idiom, 忍 (rěn) means to restrain and 俊 (jùn) is understood as a smile or something pleasant. Thus, the phrase literally means 'unable to restrain a smile.'
  • Source: This idiom originates from the Zen Buddhist text The Compendium of Five Lamps (五灯会元 - Wǔ Dēng Huì Yuán). It is famously associated with the story of the Buddha holding up a flower and his disciple Mahakasyapa (迦叶 - Jiā Shè) breaking into a smile of enlightenment.
  • Common Error: Learners should be careful not to confuse 忍俊不禁 (rěn jùn bù jīn) with the common mistake 忍俊不住 (rěn jùn bù zhù). While 不住 (bù zhù) also means 'cannot stop,' the correct classical form of this specific idiom always ends with 禁 (jīn).

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 忍俊不禁 (rěn jùn bù jīn) is used to describe the state of being overcome by amusement. It is frequently applied to the funny antics of animals, the innocent behavior of children, or clever wit. While it is common in written literature, it is also used in spoken Chinese to describe a genuine, irrepressible laugh.

Idiom Essay

rěn jùn bù jīn
忍俊不禁
Unable to Restrain a Smile
shēng huó生活zhōng中zǒng总yǒu有yī xiē一些shí kè时刻，yuán běn原本nǐ你shì是xiǎng想bǎo chí保持yán sù严肃de的。

There are always moments in life when you originally intended to remain serious.

yě xǔ也许shì是zài在ān jìng安静de的tú shū guǎn图书馆，yě xǔ也许shì是zài在yí gè一个zhèng jīng正经de的huì yì会议shàng上。

Perhaps in a quiet library, or during a formal meeting.

tū rán突然，nǐ你kàn dào看到le了shén me什么——kě néng可能shì是yī zhī一只zǒu lù走路bàn dǎo绊倒de的xiǎo māo小猫，huò zhě或者péng yǒu朋友liǎn脸shàng上yí gè一个huá jī滑稽de的biǎo qíng表情。

Suddenly, you see something—maybe a kitten tripping over its own paws, or a funny expression on a friend's face.

lǐ zhì理智gào sù告诉nǐ你：“bié别xiào笑，yào要kòng zhì控制zhù住”。

Reason tells you: "Don't laugh, keep it under control."

kě shì可是，shēn tǐ身体què却bù不tīng听shǐ huàn使唤，zuǐ jiǎo嘴角hái shì还是rěn bú zhù忍不住xiàng shàng向上yáng qǐ扬起，shèn zhì甚至“pū chī扑哧”yī shēng一声xiào笑le了chū lái出来。

However, your body doesn't listen, the corners of your mouth still can't help but turn upward, and you even let out a sudden chuckle.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常shēng dòng生动de的chéng yǔ成语xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种shùn jiān瞬间，jiào叫“rěn jùn bù jīn忍俊不禁”。

In Chinese, there is a very vivid idiom to describe this kind of moment called 忍俊不禁.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn画面gǎn感hěn很qiáng强。

This phrase has a strong sense of imagery.

“rěn忍”，shì是rěn nài忍耐、kè zhì克制；“bù jīn不禁”，shì是jīn bú zhù禁不住、kòng zhì bù liǎo控制不了。

忍 means to endure or restrain; 不禁 means being unable to stop or control.

hé合zài在yì qǐ一起，jiù shì就是“xiǎng yào想要rěn zhù忍住xiào yì笑意，què却wán quán完全shī bài失败le了”。

Put together, it means "trying to hold back a smile but failing completely."

qǐng请zhù yì注意，zhè lǐ这里shuō说de的xiào笑，tōng cháng通常bú shì不是nà zhǒng那种tīng dào听到dà大xiào huà笑话hòu后de的kuáng xiào狂笑，ér shì而是yī zhǒng一种bèi被kě ài可爱、yōu mò幽默huò zhě或者huāng dàn荒诞jī zhòng击中shí时，zì rán自然de的shēng lǐ生理fǎn yìng反应。

Please note that the laughter mentioned here is usually not the wild laughter after hearing a big joke, but a natural physiological reaction when struck by something cute, humorous, or absurd.

wǒ men我们shén me shí hòu什么时候huì会gǎn dào感到“rěn jùn bù jīn忍俊不禁”ne呢？

When do we feel 忍俊不禁?

wǎng wǎng往往bú shì不是yīn wèi因为shì qíng事情yǒu有duō me多么jīng tiān dòng dì惊天动地，ér shì而是yīn wèi因为tā它chōng mǎn充满le了mǒu zhǒng某种qīng sōng轻松de的qù wèi趣味。

It is often not because something is earth-shattering, but because it is full of a certain lighthearted fun.

bǐ rú比如kàn zhe看着dà xióng māo大熊猫bèn zhuō笨拙dì地cóng从shù shàng树上huá滑xià lái下来，huò zhě或者kàn dào看到yí gè一个xiǎo hái zi小孩子yī běn zhèng jīng一本正经dì地mó fǎng模仿dà rén大人shuō huà说话。

For example, watching a giant panda clumsily slide down from a tree, or seeing a small child seriously imitating an adult's speech.

nà zhǒng那种kě ài可爱hé和huá jī滑稽，shùn jiān瞬间dǎ pò打破le了nǐ你de的xīn lǐ fáng xiàn心理防线。

That cuteness and humor instantly break through your psychological defenses.

“rěn jùn bù jīn忍俊不禁”qí shí其实zài在gào sù告诉wǒ men我们：kuài lè快乐yǒu shí hòu有时候shì是yī zhǒng一种běn néng本能。

忍俊不禁 is actually telling us: happiness is sometimes an instinct.

tā它bǐ比wǒ men我们de的lǐ zhì理智gèng更qiáng dà强大，yě也gèng更chéng shí诚实。

It is more powerful and more honest than our reason.

wú lùn无论nǐ你píng shí平时duō me多么yán sù严肃，dāng当zhēn zhèng真正de的yōu mò幽默chū xiàn出现shí时，nǐ你shì是cáng bú zhù藏不住de的。

No matter how serious you usually are, when true humor appears, you cannot hide it.

xià cì下次dāng当nǐ你fā xiàn发现zì jǐ自己xiǎng想bǎn zhe liǎn板着脸，què却hái shì还是bèi被dòu xiào逗笑de的shí hòu时候，bù yòng不用jué de觉得gān gà尴尬。

Next time you find yourself trying to keep a straight face but getting amused anyway, there is no need to feel embarrassed.

yīn wèi因为zhè zhǒng这种“rěn bú zhù忍不住”，qià qià恰恰shì是shēng huó生活lǐ里zuì最fàng sōng放松、zuì最zhēn shí真实de的shí kè时刻。

Because this "inability to hold back" is precisely the most relaxed and authentic moment in life.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

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