不堪 bùkān cannot bear
cannot bear; cannot stand; utterly; extremely
How to remember 不堪: 不 not + 堪 to endure = cannot bear.
Characters
How it is used
- Two jobs. Verb 'cannot bear' - 不堪重负 (bùkān zhòngfù) unable to bear the heavy burden.
- Complement 'utterly, to an unbearable degree' - 疲惫不堪 (píbèi bùkān) utterly exhausted, 破旧不堪 (pòjiù bùkān) falling apart. In this use it intensifies a negative state.
Example sentences
- 我们还是脆弱不堪。 Wǒmen háishì cuìruòbùkān.We're still vulnerable.