Definition
吃不开 is a fixed verb-complement phrase meaning 'to be unpopular' or 'not to work' in a given context. It is often used to describe ideas, methods, or behaviors that fail to gain acceptance or are ineffective. The opposite is 吃香 ('to be popular'). Unlike separable verbs, 吃不开 is not normally split; it functions as a single unit.
r.v.
to be unpopularto not work (of ideas, methods, behaviors)
Examples
- 吃不开。Zhè zhǒng lǎo bànfǎ xiànzài chī bu kāi le.This old method is no longer popular now.
- 吃不开。Tā de tàidu zài tóngshì zhōng chī bu kāi.His attitude is unpopular among colleagues.
- 吃不开。Nà zhǒng fēnggé zài shìchǎng shàng wánquán chī bu kāi.That style is completely unpopular in the market.
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