一病不起 yībìngbùqǐ to fall gravely ill Origin Definitions Defs Strokes Stroke Words Sentences Sents 一 yī adverbnumeral [suddenness] Used before a verb to indicate that an action or situation occurs suddenly or unexpectedly.病 bìng verb to fall ill to fall sick; to be ill; to suffer from a disease不起 bùqǐ terminally ill to be bedridden with a serious illness or to pass away from it (often in the phrase 一病不起 yībìngbùqǐ)