Can not help – 不禁 bùjīn

Grammar Point：
不禁 bùjīn means “can’t help (doing something)” or “can’t refrain from”. It’s used when someone feels an emotion or does something involuntarily.

Structure

S + 不禁 bùjīn + Verb / Emotional reaction

不禁 bùjīn is more commonly used in formal or written Chinese, while in everyday spoken Chinese people usually say 忍不住 rěn bù zhù.

看kàn著zhe畢業bìyè典禮diǎnlǐ上shàng的de同學tóngxué們men， 我wǒ不禁bùjīn紅hóng了le眼眶yǎnkuāng看kàn着zhe毕业bìyè典礼diǎnlǐ上shang的de同学tóngxué们men， 我wǒ不禁bùjīn红hóng了le眼眶yǎnkuàng
Watching my classmates at graduation, I couldn’t help but tear up.

想起xiǎngqǐ外婆wàipó做zuò的de菜cài， 我wǒ不禁bùjīn有點yǒudiǎn想xiǎng家jiā想起xiǎngqǐ外婆wàipó做zuò的de菜cài， 我wǒ不禁bùjīn有点yǒudiǎn想xiǎng家jiā
Thinking of Grandma’s cooking, I couldn’t help but feel homesick.

第一次dìyīcì看到kàndào台北táiběi101 的de夜景yèjǐng， 我wǒ不禁bùjīn驚嘆jīngtàn起來qǐlái第一次dìyīcì看到kàndào台北táiběi101 的de夜景yèjǐng， 我wǒ不禁bùjīn惊叹liángtàn起来qǐlái
Seeing Taipei 101 at night for the first time, I couldn’t help but marvel.

老師lǎoshī突然tūrán點diǎn我wǒ回答huídá問題wèntí， 我wǒ不禁bùjīn冒mào出chū一身yìshēn冷汗lěnghàn老师lǎoshī突然tūrán点diǎn我wǒ回答huídá问题wèntí， 我wǒ不禁bùjīn冒mào出chū一身yìshēn冷汗lěnghàn
When the teacher suddenly called on me, I couldn’t help but break into a cold.

看到kàndào自己zìjǐ小時候xiǎoshíhòu的de舊jiù照片zhàopiàn， 我wǒ不禁bùjīn覺得juéde好hǎo丟臉diūliǎn看到kàndào自己zìjǐ小时候xiǎoshíhou的de旧jiù照片zhàopiān， 我wǒ不禁bùjīn觉得juéde好hǎo丢脸diūliǎn
Seeing my childhood photos, I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

看kàn著zhe窗外chuāngwài的de大雨dàyǔ， 他tā不禁bùjīn擔心dānxīn起qǐ今天jīntiān的de約會yuēhuì看kàn着zhe窗外chuāngwài的de大雨dàyǔ， 他tā不禁bùjīn担心dànxīn起qǐ今天jīntiān的de约会yuēhuì
Looking at the heavy rain outside the window, he couldn’t help but worry about today’s date.

看到kàndào這麼zhème漂亮piàoliàng的de夕陽xìyáng， 遊客yóukè們men不禁bùjīn停下tíngxià腳步jiǎobù拍照pāizhào看到kàndào这么zhèyāo漂亮piàoliang的de夕阳xīyáng， 游客yóukè们men不禁bùjīn停下tíngxia脚步jiǎobù拍照pāizhào
Seeing such a beautiful sunset, the tourists couldn’t help but stop to take pictures.