爱不释手

• Pinyin: ài bù shì shǒu
• Hanzi breakdown: 爱 = love; 不 = not; 释 = release; 手 = hand

Meaning

To love something so much one can't put it down; to be unable to let go of something.

An idiom describing being so fond of an object that one keeps holding or using it. Often used for books, gadgets, or collectibles. Emphasizes deep attraction and attachment to something tangible.

Examples

1. 这本小说写得太精彩了，让人爱不释手。 This novel is written so brilliantly that you can't put it down.
2. 她收到那条项链后爱不释手，天天都戴着。 After receiving that necklace, she couldn't stop wearing it every day.
3. 新买的相机功能太强大了，他拿到手就爱不释手。 The new camera has such powerful features — once he got it, he couldn't put it down.

Usage Guide

Context: literary, everyday

Tone: appreciative

Do Say

• 这款游戏让人爱不释手。(This game is so addictive you can't put it down.)
• 孩子对那个玩具爱不释手。(The child couldn't stop playing with that toy.)

Don't Say

• 对人说'我对你爱不释手' (Don't use 爱不释手 for people — it's for objects, not romantic partners)

Origin & History

爱 (love) + 不 (not) + 释 (release) + 手 (hand). Literally: love so much that one cannot release it from one's hand.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal