爱不释手
爱不释手 (ài bù shì shǒu) literally means “love not release hand” and expresses “cherish something too much to put it down”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: ai bu shi shou, ai bu shi shou,爱不释手 meaning, 爱不释手 in english
Cherish something too much to put it down
Pronunciation: ài bù shì shǒu Literal meaning: Love not release hand
Origin & Usage
To love (爱) it and not (不) let it go (释) from the hand (手). The phrase is about the body rather than the feeling: what it describes is a physical failure to put the object down, the hand continuing to turn it while the conversation moves on. It belongs to connoisseurship and to books, and it is the standard compliment to a gift, a volume or a piece of work — the reader who could not set it aside.
Examples
English: "She couldn't put down the antique jade pendant, examining it from every angle"
Chinese: 她爱不释手地把玩着那枚古玉坠，从各个角度欣赏它
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
手不释卷
shǒu bù shì juàn
Diligent in learning
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不择手段
bú zé shǒu duàn
Use any means regardless of ethics
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束手无策
shù shǒu wú cè
Completely helpless without options
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手足无措
shǒu zú wú cuò
At a loss; flustered
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妙手回春
miào shǒu huí chūn
Extraordinary healing skill
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信手拈来
xìn shǒu niān lái
Create effortlessly from mastery
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眼高手低
yǎn gāo shǒu dī
Standards exceed abilities
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七手八脚
qī shǒu bā jiǎo
Many people busily working together in disorder
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 爱不释手 mean in English?
爱不释手 (ài bù shì shǒu) literally translates to “Love not release hand” and is used to express “Cherish something too much to put it down”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 爱不释手 used?
Situation: She couldn't put down the antique jade pendant, examining it from every angle
What is the pinyin for 爱不释手?
The pinyin pronunciation for 爱不释手 is “ài bù shì shǒu”.