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shǒu 手 bù 不 shì 释 juàn 卷

手不释卷 shǒu bù shì juàn

always with a book in hand; a tireless reader

Literally: hand not release scroll

Intermediate 📚 Study & effort
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Origin

From the Sanguo zhi: Sun Quan told the general Lü Meng that Cao Cao, even when old, was 手不释卷, urging him to read.

How to use it

Predicate; positive. 他从小就手不释卷.

Example sentences

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  1. 爷爷八十岁了，还是手不释卷，每天都看书。
    Yéye bāshí suì le, háishi shǒu bù shì juàn, měi tiān dōu kàn shū.
    Grandpa is eighty and still always has a book in hand, reading every day.
    grandpa eighty year (particle), still hand not release scroll, every day all read book
  2. 考试前的那几个星期，她手不释卷，连吃饭都在复习。
    Kǎoshì qián de nà jǐ ge xīngqī, tā shǒu bù shì juàn, lián chīfàn dōu zài fùxí.
    In the weeks before the exam she never put her books down, revising even while eating.
    exam before (particle) that several (measure) week, she hand not release scroll, even eat all (progressive) revise

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