憋 (biē) - To suppress, hold back, restrain & to feel suffocated or stifled

憋Tone 1

biē ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

傲不

憋 · biē

To suppress, hold back, restrain;

to feel suffocated or stifled;

to be pent-up.

To suppress, hold back, restrainto feel suffocated or stifledto be pent-up.

Usage highlights

Hold one's breathSuppress angerFeel suffocatedHold back urineSuppress a laughPent

Synonyms

  • 忍— endure, bear, tolerate
  • 抑制— restrain, suppress, inhibit
  • 压抑— repress, constrain, depress

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He tried to hold back his laughter (憋住笑).
  • Don't hold your breath (别憋气).
  • She felt stifled in the small room (她在这个小房间里感到憋闷).
  • He was bursting to say something (他憋着一肚子话要说).

Collocations

  • Hold one's breath(憋气)
  • Suppress anger(憋火)
  • Feel suffocated(憋闷)
  • Hold back urine(憋尿)
  • Suppress a laugh(憋笑)
  • Pent-up frustration(憋屈)

Idioms

  • Full of pent-up grievances(憋了一肚子委屈)
  • Holding back until one turns purple in the face(憋得脸红脖子粗)
  • Bottled up inside(憋在心里)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, suppressing emotions or bodily functions is considered harmful to health.
  • The character reflects cultural values of emotional expression versus restraint in social situations.
  • Often used to describe the feeling of being constrained by circumstances or social pressure.

FAQ