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March 24, 2026
不耐烦(不耐煩)búnàifán(bu2nai4fan2)
不耐烦 (bù nài fán) refers to a state of impatience or being easily annoyed due to delays or inconveniences. It is commonly used in contexts where someone is frustrated with waiting or when things are not proceeding as expected, conveying a sense of urgency and irritation.
Frequency#13195DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, patience is highly valued, often seen as a virtue, which may make expressions of 不耐烦 more significant in social interactions, as they can imply disrespect or a lack of self-control.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person waiting for a bus that is late. As time passes, their expression becomes more and more frustrated, symbolizing 不耐烦. The first character 不 means ‘not,’ while 耐 suggests endurance, and 烦 relates to annoyance, together illustrating the inability to endure waiting calmly.
Meanings of 不耐烦
búnàifán(bu2nai4fan2)
1impatience
2impatient
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 不耐烦
不耐烦Simplified
不耐煩Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#13195Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 不耐烦
Podcast: 不耐烦
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AI Study Notes for 不耐烦
Quick Contrast
急躁 (jízào) - use 不耐烦 (bù nài fán) for impatience specifically related to waiting, while 急躁 (jízào) conveys a more general sense of irritability.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person waiting for a bus that is late. As time passes, their expression becomes more and more frustrated, symbolizing 不耐烦. The first character 不 means ‘not,’ while 耐 suggests endurance, and 烦 relates to annoyance, together illustrating the inability to endure waiting calmly.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of using 不耐烦 in both formal and informal contexts; it may sound too blunt in professional settings. Common collocations include '对…不耐烦' (impatient with…). Note that using the wrong tone, such as pronouncing 不 (bù) with the second tone, can change the meaning.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 不耐烦 connects with other emotions or states of being. Students should focus on the context in which it is used, as it often pairs with verbs indicating actions that provoke impatience, enhancing vocabulary related to feelings.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, patience is highly valued, often seen as a virtue, which may make expressions of 不耐烦 more significant in social interactions, as they can imply disrespect or a lack of self-control.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 不耐烦 with other expressions of annoyance. For instance, saying '我觉得不耐烦' (I feel impatient) is incorrect; the correct way is '我感到不耐烦'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 不耐烦
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Grammar Patterns of 不耐烦
不耐烦 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 5
Complete the Sentence
“我告诉过你普雷斯克毫不知情的，”肯普颇为____地说道。
"I told you Preskel had no idea," remarked Kemp with some asperity.
Example Sentences for 不耐烦 (10)
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1
“我告诉过你普雷斯克毫不知情的，”肯普颇为不耐烦地说道。
“ “ wǒ gào sù guò nǐ pǔ léi sī kè háo bù zhī qíng，” de ，” kěn pǔ pō wéi bù nài fán dì。
"I told you Preskel had no idea," remarked Kemp with some asperity.
2
对于那些反对该方案的人，他表现得很不耐烦。
duì yú nà xiē fǎn duì gāi fāng àn de rén， ， tā biǎo xiàn dé hěn bù nài。
He is impatient with those who decry the scheme.
3
大牌俱乐部对缓慢的进展越来越不耐烦了。
dà pái jù lè bù duì huǎn màn de jìn zhǎn yuè lái yuè bù nài fán le。
The big clubs are becoming increasingly impatient at the rate of progress.
4
他的语气中透出些不耐烦。
tā de yǔ qì zhōng tòu chū xiē bù nài fán。
There was a hint of impatience in his tone.
5
“他回实验室去了，”艾里斯不耐烦地大声说。
“ “ tā huí shí yàn shì qù，” le ，” ài lǐ sī bù nài fán dì dà。
"He went back to the lab", Iris exclaimed impatiently.
6
她确实对他极其不耐烦，但哪个母亲不是这样呢？
tā què shí duì tā jí qí bù nài fán， ， dàn nǎ gè mǔ qīn bù shì zhè yàng？
It's true she gets madly impatient with him, but what mother doesn't?
7
老通宝却不耐烦了,怒声喝道: “ 说什么梦话! 刚吃了两天老蚕 呢.
lǎo tōng bǎo què bù nài fán le, , nù shēng hē:“ dào : “ shuō shí mó! mèng huà ! gāng chī le liǎng tiān.
" One more day? You're dreaming!'snapped the old man impatiently.
8
她怒道, 红了脸, 对于他的东扯西扯很不耐烦.
tā nù dào, , hóng le, liǎn , duì yú tā de dōng chě xī chě hěn bù.
She snapped, blushing, and impatient with his beating around the bush.
9
她不耐烦地挥手叫他走开,继续干她的活.
tā bù nài fán dì huī shǒu jiào tā zǒu kāi, , jì xù gān tā de.
She impatiently waved him away and went on with her work.
10
“请坐，”他不耐烦地说道。
“ “ qǐng，” zuò ，” tā bù nài fán dì。
"Take a seat," he said in a bored tone.
Cultural Notes for 不耐烦
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, patience is highly valued, often seen as a virtue, which may make expressions of 不耐烦 more significant in social interactions, as they can imply disrespect or a lack of self-control.
Frequently Asked Questions about 不耐烦
You can say '我对这个项目感到不耐烦' (I feel impatient about this project).
Yes, it typically conveys a negative emotion related to frustration or annoyance.
Yes, you can describe someone as 不耐烦, meaning they are an impatient person.
