Definition
按捺不住 is a fixed four-character phrase meaning 'unable to hold back one's feelings or impulses'. You use it when someone can no longer suppress an emotion (excitement, anger, laughter, etc.) and often follow it with a verb phrase describing the result, e.g. 按捺不住激动的心情 (can't contain one's excitement) or 按捺不住笑了出来 (couldn't help laughing). The core verb 按捺 (to restrain) combines with the complement 不住 (unable to) — never split in usage.
r.v.
cannot hold backcannot suppress (one's feelings or impulses)
Examples
- ，按捺不住。Tīng dào zhège xiāoxi, wǒ àn nà bú jīdòng de xīnqíng xiào le qǐlái.Upon hearing the news, I couldn't hold back my excitement and laughed.
- 按捺不住，。Tā àn nà bú nùhuǒ, chōng shàng qián qù lǐlùn.He couldn't contain his anger and rushed forward to argue.
- 按捺不住，。Tā àn nà bú duì dàjiā de gǎnjī, zhàn qǐlái shēn shēn jū le yì gōng.She couldn't suppress her gratitude toward everyone, stood up, and bowed deeply.
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