不断 búduàn unceasing
unceasing; uninterrupted; continuous; constant
How to remember 不断: 不 not + 断 sever = unceasing.
Characters
How it is used
- 不断 (búduàn) functions as an adverb before a verb meaning 'continuously, unceasingly': 他不断地努力 (tā búduàn de nǔlì) - he keeps working hard nonstop.
- It usually takes 地 before the verb in careful writing, though the 地 is often dropped in speech.
- Distinguish from 一直 (yìzhí, all along), which stresses an unbroken state or duration, whereas 不断 stresses repeated or continual action/change without gaps, often with verbs like 提高, 增加, 发展.
- Very common in news register: 经济不断发展 (jīngjì búduàn fāzhǎn) - the economy keeps developing.
Example sentences
- 地球在不断地演变。 Dìqiú zài búduàn de yǎnbiàn.The earth is constantly evolving.
- 软件正在不断进化。 Ruǎnjiàn zhèngzài búduàn jìnhuà.Software is constantly evolving.