求之不得 |
qiú zhī bù dé |
lit. seek but fail to get (idiom); fig. exactly what one’s been looking for |
求 |
qiú |
to seek / to look for / to request / to demand / to beseech |
之 |
zhī |
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的) / him / her / it |
不 |
bù |
no; not so / (bound form) not; un- |
不得 |
bù dé |
must not / may not / not to be allowed / cannot |
得 |
dé |
to obtain / to get / to gain / to catch (a disease) / proper / suitable / proud / contented / to allow / to permit / ready / finished |
得 |
de |
structural particle: used after a verb (or adjective as main verb), linking it to following phrase indicating effect, degree, possibility etc |
得 |
děi |
to have to / must / ought to / to need to |