每天成语
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< 美中不足朝三暮四 >

不知不觉

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

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: bù zhī bù jué
  • English Translation: Unconsciously / Before one knows it
  • Idiom Composition: 「不」（not (negation)）＋「知」（to know or recognize）＋「不」（not (negation)）＋「觉」（to feel or perceive）
  • Meaning: A state where things progress or change without one's conscious awareness or perception. It describes situations where one only realizes after the fact that time has passed, a habit has formed, or a situation has changed.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「不知不觉」 contains the following nuances:

  • Unconscious Progression: Emphasizes a process that happens naturally while the person is unintended or not paying attention.
  • Passage of Time: Frequently used when one is so immersed in an activity that they lose their sense of time.
  • Gradual Change: Used for changes that accumulate slowly over time rather than happening suddenly.

3. Usage

「不知不觉」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Passage of Time: The most common usage, describing how time flies when one is focused or enjoying themselves.
    • Example:「我们聊得很开心，不知不觉天已经黑了。」
      （We were chatting so happily that before we knew it, the sky had already turned dark.）
  • Formation of Habits or Skills: Describes naturally acquiring something through environment or repetition rather than conscious effort.
    • Example:「在这个城市住了几年，我不知不觉学会了一些当地方言。」
      （After living in this city for a few years, I unconsciously picked up some of the local dialect.）
  • Changes in Emotion or State: Describes feelings emerging or physical/situational changes occurring without the person noticing.
    • Example:「听着这首悲伤的歌，他不知不觉流下了眼泪。」
      （Listening to this sad song, he unconsciously shed tears.）

Additional Examples:

  1. 春天不知不觉地来了，公园里的花都开了。
    （Spring arrived without us realizing it, and all the flowers in the park have bloomed.）
  2. 他在沙发上看着书，不知不觉睡着了。
    （While reading on the sofa, he unconsciously fell asleep.）
  3. 随着年龄的增长，父母不知不觉变老了。
    （As the years went by, my parents without realizing it grew old.）
  4. 这种坏习惯是在不知不觉中养成的。
    （This kind of bad habit was formed unconsciously.）
  5. 忙碌的工作让我不知不觉忘记了今天是周末。
    （Busy work made me unconsciously forget that today was the weekend.）
  6. 不知不觉间，我们已经毕业十年了。
    （Before we knew it, ten years had already passed since our graduation.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Source: This phrase can be found in Buddhist scriptures such as the Vimalakirti Sutra (维摩经) and the Song Dynasty Buddhist text Wudeng Huiyuan (五灯会元). Originally, it referred to sentient beings being unaware of the ultimate truth, but in modern usage, the religious connotation has faded.
  • Grammar: It is often used as an adverbial modifier in the form 不知不觉地 (bù zhī bù jué de) + Verb, or as an introductory phrase 不知不觉 (bù zhī bù jué) + Clause. The phrase 在不知不觉中 (zài bù zhī bù jué zhōng), meaning 'in the midst of not knowing or feeling,' is also very common.
  • Nuance: While similar to 潜移默化 (qián yí mò huà), which refers to being influenced and changed naturally by one's environment, 不知不觉 (bù zhī bù jué) is more versatile. It can refer to simple time passage or one's own unconscious actions, not just external influences.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

不知不觉 (bù zhī bù jué) is a high-frequency idiom used to describe things happening 'without realizing it.' It can be used in positive contexts (like losing track of time while having fun) or negative ones (like picking up a bad habit). In daily conversation, it often appears as 不知不觉地 (bù zhī bù jué de) or 在不知不觉中 (zài bù zhī bù jué zhōng).

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