奋不顾身
fèn bù gù shēn
to throw oneself forward regardless of danger
Character by character
奋fèn
rouse
rouse
不bù
not
not
顾gù
heed
heed
身shēn
self
self
Example
看到孩子掉进河里，他奋不顾身地跳了下去。
When he saw the child fall into the river, he jumped straight in without a thought for himself.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
Almost always 奋不顾身地 + a sudden action: 跳下去、冲上去、扑向. It praises one brave moment of risking oneself for others: a rescuer’s, a soldier’s or a passer-by’s. 不 is said bú here before the fourth tone of 顾.
Learn this in Lesson 171 · HSK 7–9: 1998年的洪水 (The floods of 1998)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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