Potential complement "bu dong"

This is a potential complement that expresses you "can't do something." Don't confuse it with 不懂 as explained inThe "-bu dong" (don't understand) Potential Complement.

Structure

The potential complement 不动 is used to express lack of physical ability to do something. This can be used not only with actions like walking, running or climbing, but even actions like eating and chewing.

It is used like this:

Subject + physical action + 不动

Examples

• 我 走 不动 了，得 休息 一下！
• 等 等 我，我 爬 不动 了！
• 这个 牛排 根本 咬不动。
• 那 架 钢琴 很 重，他 肯定 搬不动。

Some less common examples (may depend on which region a speaker of China is from):

• 我 太 饱 了 ， 吃不动 了！
• 葛修远 已经 喝了 十瓶 啤酒 了，喝不动了！

Sources and further reading

Books

1. Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (1st ed) (pp. 203)

HSK4