Chinese

Particle

不起

1. (used after verbs) cannot afford to ...

   買不起 / 买不起  ―  mǎi bùqǐ  ―  too expensive to buy

   玩不起  ―  wán bùqǐ  ―  cannot afford to be played

   牙醫貴到我都看不起了。 [MSC, trad.]

   牙医贵到我都看不起了。 [MSC, simp.]

   Yáyī guì dào wǒ dōu kàn bùqǐ le. [Pinyin]

   Dentists are so expensive that I can't afford to go to visit.

2. (used after verbs) do not wish to ... (in contempt)

   看不起  ―  kànbùqǐ  ―  to look down upon

See also

• (Cantonese) 唔起 (m4 hei2), 唔住 (m4 zyu6)

Derived terms