baisibujie: 百思不解 - To Be Completely Baffled, Unable to Understand
Quick Summary
Keywords: 百思不解, bǎi sī bù jiě, bai si bu jie, Chinese idiom for confused, completely baffled, unable to understand, perplexity, what does baisibujie mean, Chinese chengyu, Chinese four-character idiom.
Summary: 百思不解 (bǎi sī bù jiě) is a common Chinese idiom (chengyu) that vividly describes the feeling of being completely baffled or utterly perplexed by something. Literally meaning 'a hundred thoughts, no solution,' it conveys a deep sense of confusion that remains even after considerable thought. This page explores the meaning of bǎi sī bù jiě, its cultural context, and how to use it in everyday Chinese conversation to express that you've thought about something a lot but still can't figure it out.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): bǎi sī bù jiě
Part of Speech: Idiom (Chengyu); can function as a verb or adjective.
HSK Level: HSK 6
Concise Definition: To remain perplexed after repeated thinking; to be unable to understand something no matter how hard one thinks.
In a Nutshell: Imagine you've been given a complex riddle. You think about it from every angle, for a long time, but the answer just won't come. That feeling of being totally stumped and mentally exhausted from trying to understand is exactly what 百思不解 captures. It's not just simple confusion; it's a deep, lingering bewilderment that follows a genuine effort to comprehend.
Character Breakdown
百 (bǎi): hundred. In this context, it's used hyperbolically to mean “numerous” or “many times.”
思 (sī): to think, to ponder, to consider.
不 (bù): not, no. A simple negative particle.
解 (jiě): to solve, to understand, to untie (like a knot).
These characters combine literally to mean “to think a hundred times and not solve it.” The imagery is of someone repeatedly turning a problem over in their mind, trying to “untie” its knot of complexity, but failing every time.
Cultural Context and Significance
Emphasis on Contemplation: The idiom inherently respects the process of thinking. By saying you are 百思不解, you are also implying that you have dedicated significant mental effort to the problem. It's not a confession of laziness, but rather an acknowledgment of the problem's profound difficulty or mystery.
Comparison to “I can't wrap my head around it”: In English, phrases like “I can't wrap my head around it” or “I've wracked my brain” convey a very similar meaning. However, as a *chengyu*, 百思不解 is a more compact and literary phrase. It can be used as a complete predicate in a sentence (e.g., 我百思不解 - I am completely baffled), which is a grammatical pattern unique to this type of idiom. While the English expressions are conversational, 百思不解 bridges the gap between formal and informal language, making it versatile in both writing and speech.
Practical Usage in Modern China
Expressing Personal Confusion: This is the most common use. You can use it to talk about a person's strange behavior, a confusing movie plot, or a difficult decision someone made. It's often paired with 让人 (ràng rén), meaning “it makes people…”
e.g., 他的决定让人百思不解。 (Tā de juédìng ràng rén bǎisībùjiě.) - His decision leaves one completely baffled.
In News and Formal Writing: Journalists and writers use it to describe mysterious events, unsolved crimes, or inexplicable scientific phenomena. It adds a touch of literary gravity to the description.
On Social Media: Netizens frequently use 百思不解 to comment on bizarre news stories, strange social trends, or anything that seems illogical or hard to justify. It's a perfect hashtag or comment for a confusing situation.
Formality and Connotation: The term is neutral and has a wide range of formality. It's perfectly acceptable in casual chats with friends and in more formal, written contexts. It simply describes a state of profound confusion without being judgmental.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
他为什么突然辞职，真是让我百思不解。
Pinyin: Tā wèishéme tūrán cízhí, zhēnshi ràng wǒ bǎisībùjiě.
English: Why he suddenly resigned really has me completely baffled.
Analysis: A classic usage. The speaker is expressing personal, deep confusion over someone else's actions. The structure “让(ràng) + someone + 百思不解” is extremely common.
Example 2:
面对这个奇怪的案子，警察们也百思不解。
Pinyin: Miànduì zhège qíguài de ànzi, jǐngchámen yě bǎisībùjiě.
English: Facing this strange case, the police were also completely baffled.
Analysis: Here, 百思不解 functions as the main verb (predicate) for the subject “the police.”
Example 3:
这道数学题我研究了半天，依然百思不解。
Pinyin: Zhè dào shùxué tí wǒ yánjiūle bàntiān, yīrán bǎisībùjiě.
English: I studied this math problem for a long time, but I'm still unable to figure it out.
Analysis: Shows the pre-condition for using the idiom: the speaker has already invested time and effort (“studied for a long time”).
Example 4:
他的行为充满了矛盾，这是一个令人百思不解的问题。
Pinyin: Tā de xíngwéi chōngmǎnle máodùn, zhè shì yí ge lìng rén bǎisībùjiě de wèntí.
English: His behavior is full of contradictions; it's a baffling problem.
Analysis: Here, the idiom is used adjectivally with 的 (de) to modify the noun 问题 (wèntí). “令人 (lìng rén)” is a more formal version of “让人 (ràng rén)”.
Example 5:
电影的结尾让所有观众都百思不解。
Pinyin: Diànyǐng de jiéwěi ràng suǒyǒu guānzhòng dōu bǎisībùjiě.
English: The movie's ending left the entire audience completely bewildered.
Analysis: Perfect for describing reactions to art, stories, or performances with ambiguous or strange endings.
Example 6:
古代的人是如何建造金字塔的，至今仍是一个让历史学家百思不解的谜。
Pinyin: Gǔdài de rén shì rúhé jiànzào jīnzìtǎ de, zhìjīn réng shì yí ge ràng lìshǐxuéjiā bǎisībùjiě de mí.
English: How ancient people built the pyramids is still a mystery that leaves historians baffled.
Analysis: Demonstrates its use in a more academic or historical context.
Example 7:
我百思不解，她明明不喜欢那份工作，为什么还要继续做下去。
Pinyin: Wǒ bǎisībùjiě, tā míngmíng bù xǐhuān nà fèn gōngzuò, wèishéme hái yào jìxù zuò xiàqù.
English: I just can't understand why she continues with that job when she clearly dislikes it.
Analysis: The idiom can stand as its own clause at the beginning of a sentence to set the tone of confusion.
English: Regarding this natural phenomenon, scientists were, for a time, completely perplexed.
Analysis: “曾一度 (céng yídù)” means “once” or “for a period of time,” highlighting that the confusion was not permanent.
Example 9:
这样一个聪明人怎么会犯如此低级的错误，实在令人百思不解。
Pinyin: Zhèyàng yí ge cōngmíng rén zěnme huì fàn rúcǐ dījí de cuòwù, shízài lìng rén bǎisībùjiě.
English: How such a smart person could make such a basic mistake is truly baffling.
Analysis: Expresses surprise and confusion when something goes against expectations.
Example 10:
他留下的最后一条信息，成了我们心中百思不解的疑问。
Pinyin: Tā liú xià de zuìhòu yì tiáo xìnxī, chéngle wǒmen xīnzhōng bǎisībùjiě de yíwèn.
English: The last message he left became a baffling question in our hearts.
Analysis: Shows how the idiom can describe a thought or question that lingers in one's mind.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
Not for Simple Confusion: A common mistake is to use 百思不解 for momentary, simple confusion. If you didn't hear what someone said, you should say 我没听清楚 (Wǒ méi tīng qīngchu), not 我百思不解. This idiom requires that a process of “thinking” has already happened and failed.
False Friends: 百思不解 (bǎi sī bù jiě) vs. 莫名其妙 (mòmíngqímiào)
These two idioms both relate to a lack of understanding, but they are not interchangeable.
百思不解 focuses on your mental state: you've tried to understand but can't. The emphasis is on the thinking process.
莫名其妙 (mòmíngqímiào) focuses on the thing's quality: it is inherently bizarre, weird, or inexplicable. You might feel something is 莫名其妙 without even trying hard to understand it.
Example: You see someone yelling at a tree. Your initial reaction is “That's 莫名其妙 (inexplicably weird).” If you then spend an hour trying to figure out a logical reason for it and fail, you become 百思不解.
Related Terms and Concepts
`想不通 (xiǎng bu tōng)` - A very common and colloquial V-R complement meaning “can't figure it out.” It's the simple, direct version of the feeling that 百思不解 describes idiomatically.
`大惑不解 (dà huò bù jiě)` - A very close synonym meaning “greatly bewildered and unable to understand.” It's slightly more formal and intense.
`莫名其妙 (mòmíngqímiào)` - As explained above, it means inexplicable or baffling, focusing on the strange nature of the subject itself.
`迷惑 (míhuò)` - A general verb/adjective for “to be confused/puzzled” or “to confuse/puzzle someone.” It is much less intense than 百思不解.
`糊涂 (hútu)` - Muddled, mixed-up, or confused. Often describes a person's general state of mind (e.g., being groggy, senile, or just not thinking straight) rather than confusion about a specific problem.
`匪夷所思 (fěiyísuǒsī)` - Unimaginable, mind-boggling. This is even stronger than 百思不解 and suggests something is so bizarre it's beyond the realm of normal human thought.
`恍然大悟 (huǎngrán dà wù)` - Antonym. The perfect opposite. It means “to suddenly realize,” the “aha!” moment of enlightenment that comes after a period of being 百思不解.