不由自主

bù yóu zì zhǔ

HSK 7–9

Meaning

由不得自己，控制不住自己。

cannot help; involuntarily; unable to control oneself.

通常用作状语，修饰动词，表示行为或感情不受主观意志控制。

Often used as an adverbial modifier to indicate that an action or feeling is beyond one's conscious control.

1 听到这个消息，她不由自主地流下了眼泪。 (Hearing the news, she couldn't help shedding tears.)
2 看到熟人，他不由自主地招手打招呼。 (Seeing an acquaintance, he involuntarily waved hello.)
3 那画面太美，我忍不住不由自主地多看了几眼。 (The scene was so beautiful that I couldn't help but look at it a few more times involuntarily.)
4 一想起往事，他就不由自主地叹气。 (Whenever he thinks of the past, he sighs involuntarily.)
5 电影情节太紧张，观众们不由自主地屏住了呼吸。 (The movie plot was so tense that the audience held their breath involuntarily.)

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