不服气

• Pinyin: bù fú qì
• Hanzi breakdown: 不 = not; 服 = to submit; 气 = breath/spirit/feeling, adding emotional intensity

Meaning

To feel unconvinced; to refuse to admit defeat; to be defiant. Unwilling to accept that someone or something is better.

More colloquial and emotional than 不服. Often describes a stubborn refusal to acknowledge defeat or inferiority, particularly in competitive contexts. Can be seen as either admirable persistence or foolish stubbornness depending on context.

Examples

1. 他输了三局还是不服气，非要继续下。 He lost three games but still refused to accept it — he insisted on continuing.
2. 年轻人就是这样，输了不服气，才会拼命努力。 That's how young people are — refusing to accept defeat is what drives them to work harder.
3. 她心里不服气，但表面上还是保持了风度。 She was unconvinced in her heart, but outwardly she maintained her composure.

Usage Guide

Context: competition, rivalry, disputes

Tone: defiant

Do Say

• 你不服气的话，咱们再比一次。(If you're not convinced, let's compete again.)
• 她从小就不服气，什么都要争第一。(She's been competitive since childhood — always has to be first.)

Don't Say

• 我对这个政策不服气。(For policy disagreements, use 不满 or 不认同 — 不服气 is more personal and competitive)

Origin & History

不服 (not accept) + 气 (spirit, breath). The 气 adds an emotional, visceral quality — the feeling in one's chest of refusing to submit.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal