HSK Level 4

离不开

lí bù kāi

can’t do without

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Example Sentences

我离不开你

wǒ lí bù kāi nǐ

I can't live without you

他离不开她

tā lí bù kāi tā

He can't live without her

我们离不开朋友

wǒ men lí bù kāi péng you

We can't live without friends

Synonyms

Antonyms

离开 (líkāi)

leave

摆脱 (báituō)

get rid of

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 离不开 (lí bù kāi) is a compound verb that literally means "to leave not open". It is composed of the verb 离 (lí), which means "to leave", and the negative particle 不 (bù), which negates the verb. The character 开 (kāi) is used as a complement to the verb 离, and it means "to open". Therefore, the literal meaning of 离不开 is "to not be able to leave open".In modern Chinese, 离不开 is used to express the idea of "to be inseparable from" or "to be unable to do without". For example, we can say 我离不开你 (wǒ lí bù kāi nǐ) to mean "I cannot live without you". We can also say 他离不开手机 (tā lí bù kāi shǒu jī) to mean "He cannot live without his mobile phone".The word 离不开 is commonly used in everyday speech and writing. It is a useful word to know for HSK learners, as it can be used to express a variety of ideas related to dependence and inseparability.