bùlì: 不利 - Unfavorable, Disadvantageous, Harmful

• Keywords: 不利, buli, bùlì, unfavorable Chinese, disadvantageous Chinese, harmful in Chinese, bad for, not good for, disadvantage in Chinese, adverse effect.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese adjective bùlì (不利), which means “unfavorable,” “disadvantageous,” or “harmful.” This page provides a deep dive into its meaning, character breakdown, and practical use. Discover how bùlì is used in everything from business negotiations and sports commentary to giving health advice, and understand the key difference between bùlì (unfavorable for something) and huài (bad).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bùlì
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: Describing a situation, condition, or factor that is not beneficial and creates a disadvantage.
• In a Nutshell: Bùlì (不利) is your go-to word when you want to say something “is not good for,” “works against,” or is “unfavorable to” a person, a goal, or an outcome. Think of it as describing a negative influence or an obstacle. It's less about something being intrinsically “bad” and more about its negative effect on something else.

• 不 (bù): This is one of the most fundamental characters in Chinese, meaning “not” or “no.” It's a simple and direct negator.
• 利 (lì): This character means “benefit,” “advantage,” or “profit.” It's the “li” in words like `利用 (lìyòng)` - to utilize, and `利益 (lìyì)` - benefit/interest.

When you combine them, the meaning is crystal clear: 不 (bù) + 利 (lì) = Not + Benefit = Unfavorable, Disadvantageous.

The term bùlì reflects a very pragmatic and analytical aspect of Chinese thought. It's not just about saying a situation is “bad luck” or “unfortunate”; it's about identifying a specific factor that creates a disadvantage. Compare this to the English word “unfortunate.” If we say, “It's unfortunate that it's raining,” the focus is on our feeling of disappointment. The Chinese equivalent would likely be more specific: “下雨对我们的野餐很不利” (xiàyǔ duì wǒmen de yěcān hěn bùlì), which translates to “The rain is very unfavorable for our picnic.” The Chinese construction explicitly links the cause (rain) to the negative effect on the goal (picnic). This way of thinking, which analyzes situations in terms of favorable (`有利 yǒulì`) and unfavorable (`不利 bùlì`) factors, is deeply embedded in strategic thinking, from ancient texts like Sun Tzu's “The Art of War” to modern business negotiations. It's about assessing the environment and acting accordingly, rather than simply lamenting bad fortune.

Bùlì is a versatile adjective used in both formal and informal settings. A key grammatical structure to master is: `[Cause/Factor] + 对 (duì) + [Person/Thing/Goal] + 很/非常 + 不利` This means “[Cause/Factor] is very unfavorable/harmful to [Person/Thing/Goal].”

• In Conversation: People use it to give advice or make observations. For example, a friend might warn you, “长时间看手机对眼睛很不利” (Staring at your phone for a long time is very harmful to your eyes).
• In Business and News: This term is extremely common in formal contexts. You'll hear it in news reports about the economy (经济形势不利 - unfavorable economic situation) or in meetings to discuss a competitor's actions that are disadvantageous to the company.
• In Sports and Games: A commentator might say, “这个场地对客队很不利” (This field is very unfavorable for the visiting team).

• Example 1:
  • 抽烟对你的健康很不利。
  • Pinyin: Chōuyān duì nǐ de jiànkāng hěn bùlì.
  • English: Smoking is very harmful to your health.
  • Analysis: A classic example of giving health advice using the `对 (duì)` structure. `不利` here means “harmful” or “detrimental.”
• Example 2:
  • 缺乏资金对公司的发展很不利。
  • Pinyin: Quēfá zījīn duì gōngsī de fāzhǎn hěn bùlì.
  • English: A lack of funds is very disadvantageous for the company's development.
  • Analysis: This is a common business context. `不利` describes a condition (lack of funds) that hinders a goal (development).
• Example 3:
  • 潮湿的天气对我们的球队很不利。
  • Pinyin: Cháoshī de tiānqì duì wǒmen de qiúduì hěn bùlì.
  • English: The humid weather is unfavorable for our team.
  • Analysis: Used here in a sports context. It doesn't mean the weather is “bad” in general, but specifically disadvantageous for one side.
• Example 4:
  • 目前的形势对我们非常不利。
  • Pinyin: Mùqián de xíngshì duì wǒmen fēicháng bùlì.
  • English: The current situation is extremely unfavorable for us.
  • Analysis: A general but very common phrase to describe being in a tough spot, whether in a project, a negotiation, or a conflict.
• Example 5:
  • 接受这个条件将使我们处于不利地位。
  • Pinyin: Jiēshòu zhège tiáojiàn jiāng shǐ wǒmen chǔyú bùlì dìwèi.
  • English: Accepting this term will put us in a disadvantageous position.
  • Analysis: Here, `不利` is used to modify the noun `地位 (dìwèi)`, meaning “position” or “status.” `不利地位` is a set phrase for “disadvantageous position.”
• Example 6:
  • 总是拖延对你的职业生涯很不利。
  • Pinyin: Zǒng shì tuōyán duì nǐ de zhíyè shēngyá hěn bùlì.
  • English: Always procrastinating is very detrimental to your career.
  • Analysis: This shows how `不利` can be used to give personal or professional advice about habits.
• Example 7:
  • 这种谣言对他的名声很不利。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng yáoyán duì tā de míngshēng hěn bùlì.
  • English: This kind of rumor is very harmful to his reputation.
  • Analysis: Highlights that the negative impact of `不利` can be on intangible things like reputation (`名声 míngshēng`).
• Example 8:
  • 证据不利于被告。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngjù bùlì yú bèigào.
  • English: The evidence is unfavorable to the defendant.
  • Analysis: This shows a more formal structure using `于 (yú)` instead of `对 (duì)`. `于` is common in written and legal language.
• Example 9:
  • 过度的批评对建立孩子的自信心很不利。
  • Pinyin: Guòdù de pīpíng duì jiànlì háizi de zìxìnxīn hěn bùlì.
  • English: Excessive criticism is very unfavorable for building a child's self-confidence.
  • Analysis: This sentence demonstrates how `不利` can describe the negative impact on psychological or emotional development.
• Example 10:
  • 全球经济衰退造成了不利的投资环境。
  • Pinyin: Quánqiú jīngjì shuāituì zàochéngle bùlì de tóuzī huánjìng.
  • English: The global recession has created an unfavorable investment environment.
  • Analysis: Here, `不利` directly modifies a noun (`投资环境`, investment environment) using `的 (de)`, functioning as a standard adjective.

The most common mistake for learners is confusing bùlì (不利) with huài (坏).

• 坏 (huài): Means “bad,” “spoiled,” or “broken.” It describes the intrinsic quality of something. An apple can be `坏` (rotten). A person can be `坏` (a bad person). A TV can be `坏` (broken).
• 不利 (bùlì): Means “unfavorable” or “disadvantageous.” It describes the relationship or effect of one thing on another. Something is `不利` to or for a goal.

Common Mistake Example:

• Incorrect: 这个苹果很不利。 (Zhège píngguǒ hěn bùlì.)
• Why it's wrong: This literally means “This apple is very unfavorable.” Unfavorable to what? An apple isn't unfavorable by itself.
• Correct: 这个苹果坏了。 (Zhège píngguǒ huài le.) - “This apple has gone bad.”

How to use `不利` correctly with an apple:

• 饭后马上吃苹果对消化很不利。 (Fàn hòu mǎshàng chī píngguǒ duì xiāohuà hěn bùlì.) - “Eating an apple right after a meal is bad for digestion.”
• Here, eating the apple (the action) is unfavorable for digestion (the process/goal). This is a perfect use of `不利`.

• 有利 (yǒulì) - The direct antonym of `不利`, meaning “favorable,” “advantageous,” or “beneficial.”
• 坏处 (huàichu) - A noun meaning “disadvantage” or “harm.” While `不利` is the adjective describing the situation, `坏处` is the disadvantage itself. (e.g., “The `坏处` of this plan is…”)
• 劣势 (lièshì) - A noun meaning “disadvantage” or “inferior position.” It's more formal and often used in competitive contexts like business or war. `处于劣势` (chǔyú lièshì) means “to be in a disadvantageous position.”
• 有害 (yǒuhài) - An adjective meaning “harmful.” It's a close synonym but often implies a more direct, physical, or toxic harm. Smoking is `有害`, but a weak strategy is `不利`.
• 弊端 (bìduān) - A formal noun for “drawback,” “shortcoming,” or “malpractice,” typically used when analyzing a system, policy, or plan.
• 吃亏 (chīkuī) - A verb meaning “to suffer a loss” or “to be taken advantage of.” It describes the experience of being in a `不利` situation. If a situation is `不利` for you, you might end up `吃亏`.
• 障碍 (zhàng'ài) - A noun meaning “obstacle” or “barrier.” An unfavorable (`不利`) factor can be a type of `障碍`.