忍不住

• Pinyin: rěn bu zhù
• Hanzi breakdown: 忍 = 刃 + 心, endure; 不 = negation; 住 = 亻+ 主, to stay/hold

Meaning

Can't help but; unable to restrain oneself. Doing something involuntarily due to strong emotion or urge.

Common pattern: 忍不住 + verb (笑/哭/说). Expresses involuntary action: 忍不住笑了 (couldn't help laughing), 忍不住想 (can't help thinking). Shows loss of control over reaction.

Examples

1. 看到这个笑话，我忍不住笑了出来。 Seeing this joke, I couldn't help but laugh.
2. 她忍不住哭了起来。 She couldn't help but start crying.
3. 他忍不住想知道结果是什么。 He couldn't help but wonder what the result would be.

Usage Guide

Context: emotion, reaction, everyday

Tone: spontaneous

Do Say

• 我忍不住想说。(I can't help but want to say something.)
• 她忍不住流下了眼泪。(She couldn't help but shed tears.)

Don't Say

• 我忍不住吃完了饭。(Doesn't fit — eating a meal isn't an urge to restrain)

Origin & History

忍 (rěn, endure) + 不住 (bù zhù, cannot hold). Cannot hold back from doing something.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal