了不起 (liǎobuqǐ) · amazing
了不起 (liǎobuqǐ) means “amazing; terrific; extraordinary”. It is written with 3 characters: 了 (particle for completed action or change) + 不 (not) + 起 (to get up). It is an HSK 4 word in the 2021 standard.
How 了不起 is built
The characters
了 le · particle for completed action or change
What 了 is made of
- 乛 — bent stroke
- 亅 — hook
Origin hint: A child swaddled in blanklets; compare 子 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
不 bù · not
What 不 is made of
- 一 — horizontal stroke
Origin hint: A bird flying toward the sky 一 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
起 qǐ · to get up
What 起 is made of
- 走zǒu — to walk
- 土tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 止zhǐ — to stop
- 上shàng — up
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 土tǔ — earth
- 己jǐ — self
- 乚 — hook stroke
Origin hint: 走 gives the meaning, 己 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
Questions about 了不起
What does 了不起 mean?
了不起 (liǎobuqǐ) means “amazing; terrific; extraordinary”.
How do you pronounce 了不起?
了不起 is pronounced liǎobuqǐ.
Which HSK level is 了不起?
了不起 is in HSK 4 (2021) and Old HSK 5.
Related words
- 除了chúleexcept
- 极了jíleextremely
- 为了wèilein order to
- 了解liǎojiěto understand
- 受不了shòubùliǎocan't stand
- 不得了bùdéliǎoextremely
- 大不了dàbuliǎoat worst
- 一目了然yīmùliǎoránclear at a glance
- 了leparticle for completed action or change
- 不大bùdànot very
It is part of HSK 4 (2021) · Group 81: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.