不辞而别

• Pinyin: bù cí ér bié
• Hanzi breakdown: 不 = not; 辞 = 舌 (tongue) + 辛 (bitter), originally meaning words/speech, here meaning to bid farewell; 而 = connective; 别 = to part/separate

Meaning

To leave without saying goodbye; to depart without taking leave.

Describes leaving a place or relationship abruptly without proper farewell. Can be neutral (had to leave urgently) or negative (rude, cowardly). Common in narratives about breakups, job resignations, or mysterious disappearances.

Examples

1. 他那天晚上不辞而别，从此再也没有出现过。 He left without saying goodbye that night and never appeared again.
2. 她受不了公司的氛围，不辞而别去了另一座城市。 She couldn't stand the company atmosphere and left without a word for another city.
3. 朋友不辞而别让我很伤心，连一句道别的话都没有。 My friend's departure without goodbye really hurt me — not even a word of farewell.

Usage Guide

Context: relationships, departures, narratives

Tone: often regretful or critical

Do Say

• 他为什么要不辞而别？(Why did he leave without saying goodbye?)
• 对不起，那天我不辞而别，实在是有急事。(Sorry I left without saying goodbye that day — I really had an emergency.)

Don't Say

• 我要不辞而别，再见！(This is contradictory — if you're saying 再见, you're not leaving without goodbye)

Origin & History

不 (not) + 辞 (to take leave, bid farewell) + 而 (and then) + 别 (to part). A four-character idiom describing departure without the proper social ritual of saying goodbye.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal