HSK 6
不由得
bùyóude
can't help but
Structure
Subject + 不由得 + Verb phrase / Adjective
How it works
不由得 is an adverb used to indicate that an action or feeling happens involuntarily or spontaneously, often in response to an external stimulus. It describes a situation where one cannot control their emotions or reactions. While similar to '忍不住', '不由得' is more formal and often used to describe sudden psychological changes.
Examples
听了他的不幸遭遇，我不由得流下了眼泪。
Tīngle tā de bùxìng zāoyù, wǒ bùyóude liúxiàle yǎnlèi.
Hearing about his unfortunate experience, I couldn't help but shed tears.
看到老照片，他不由得想起了童年的往事。
Kàndào lǎo zhàopiàn, tā bùyóude xiǎngqǐle tóngnián de wǎngshì.
Seeing the old photos, he couldn't help but think of things from his childhood.
这种药的副作用不由得让人感到担心。
Zhè zhǒng yào de fùzuòyòng bùyóude ràng rén gǎndào dānxīn.
The side effects of this medicine cannot help but make one feel worried.
Common mistakes
Do not confuse '不由得' with '不由 (bùyóu)', which means 'not up to someone' (e.g., 由不得你). '不由得' is specifically for involuntary reactions.
Tip
Think of '不由得' as 'not by one's own choice' (不 + 由 + 得). It is frequently followed by verbs related to thinking (想、记起) or emotions (担心、赞叹).
More HSK 6 grammar
See 不由得 in real Chinese
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