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不适 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
不适búshìunwellHSK 6, unknown, 13 strokes, rank #10172, Hard
不适búshìindisposedHSK 6, unknown, 13 strokes, rank #10172, Hard
不适búshìout of sortsHSK 6, unknown, 13 strokes, rank #10172, Hard
búshì(bu2shi4)bu shi T4
  1. 1unwell
  2. 2indisposed
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March 24, 2026

不适(不適)búshì(bu2shi4)

不适 (bù shì) refers to a state of being unwell, indisposed, or feeling out of sorts. It can be used to describe both physical and emotional discomfort, often in contexts like illness or general malaise. The term is commonly employed in both casual conversation and medical settings to express a lack of well-being.

Strokes13Frequency#10172DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, expressing feelings of discomfort or being unwell is often more acceptable in social settings than in some Western cultures, where individuals may downplay their feelings. This term can reflect a cultural norm of caring for one's health and the importance placed on well-being.

Memory tip

Imagine a person sitting down, feeling a bit off. The character 不 (bù) looks like a person sitting with their back bent, indicating discomfort, while 适 (shì) can remind you of a 'shy' person who avoids social situations because they feel unwell. Together, they evoke the feeling of being out of sorts.

Meanings of 不适

búshì(bu2shi4)
1unwell
2indisposed
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About 不适

不适Simplified
不適Traditional
13Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

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AI study notes for 不适

Quick Contrast

不舒服 (bù shūfu) vs 不适 (bù shì): use 不适 when describing a condition that is more serious or formal, while 不舒服 is more casual and often refers to mild discomfort.

Usage Notes

A common mistake is to confuse 不适 with the word '生病' (shēng bìng, to be sick), which is more specific to illness. 不适 is more general and can apply to various states of discomfort. It is generally used in informal contexts, but can also appear in health-related discussions.

HSK Study Tips

不适 is not an HSK word but is relevant for HSK 4 learners who are expanding their vocabulary related to health and emotions. Focus on understanding its usage in context, especially in sentences discussing feelings or states of health.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 不适 by saying '我不适病' (wǒ bù shì bìng), which incorrectly combines it with '病' (illness). The correct phrase is '我不适' or simply '我生病' for being sick.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 不适

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Component characters

不bù(negative prefix)
HSK 14 strokes一
View full entry
适kuòto fit
9 strokes辶
View full entry

How to say unwell in Chinese

“unwell” in Chinese is不适búshì

不适 (bù shì) refers to a state of being unwell, indisposed, or feeling out of sorts. It can be used to describe both physical and emotional discomfort, often in contexts like illness or general malaise. The term is commonly employed in both casual conversation and medical settings to express a lack of well-being.

When to use 不适

A common mistake is to confuse 不适 with the word '生病' (shēng bìng, to be sick), which is more specific to illness. 不适 is more general and can apply to various states of discomfort. It is generally used in informal contexts, but can also appear in health-related discussions.

不适 or something close to it

不舒服 (bù shūfu) vs 不适 (bù shì): use 不适 when describing a condition that is more serious or formal, while 不舒服 is more casual and often refers to mild discomfort.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 不适 by saying '我不适病' (wǒ bù shì bìng), which incorrectly combines it with '病' (illness). The correct phrase is '我不适' or simply '我生病' for being sick.

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适

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Frequently asked questions about 不适

Yes, 不适 can describe both physical and emotional discomfort.

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