<blockquote>
  <p>Are there multiple translations for 不上边?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The related phrases are:</p>

<p>1）无关</p>

<p>2）不着调</p>

<p>3）牛头不对马嘴</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-05T07:10:56.140Z
haha, I like #3, very interesting!
amateur
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-05T04:38:25.720Z
2014-02-05T04:38:25.720Z
xqMogvKW
<p>碰不上边(cannot touch each other's edge)=对不上(cannot match each other)=不合(cannot agree with each other)</p>

<p>不知道词源是怎么样的，但是你想象有两个盘子，连边都碰不上，怎么可能合得上呢？
(How can they match each other (like we are doing a jigsaw) even if their edge cannot touch each other?)</p>

<p>说 两个人（意见）不合，就是说they don't agree with each other.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-05T03:53:47.780Z
2014-02-05T03:53:47.780Z
Joseph S WU
<p>There's two things going on; a verb (碰边 or 沾边) and an auxiliary verb (不上) inserted in the middle.</p>

<p>碰边, <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/2730787.htm">沾边</a> literally mean "to touch the edge", which is a metaphor for relationship. <a href="http://www.zdic.net/c/d/142/310430.htm">不上</a> means "unable to" in this context (similar to 不到 or 不得). So altogether, 碰不上边 means "unrelated".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-05T00:28:12.970Z
I would probably refer to 不上 as a verb infix, rather than an aux verb. Anyway, terminology aside, this answer is right on the mark.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-05T00:29:37.670Z
@deutschZuid sure; I'm no linguist so if you think the terminology can be corrected, please go ahead and make an edit.
congusbongus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-04T22:37:57.033Z
2014-02-04T22:37:57.033Z
congusbongus
<p>Trying to translate this: 始终是碰不上边的...</p>

<p>From the beginning, not able to meet (in agreement) with those above? </p>

<p>I searched on "不上边" in 百度 and it seems there are multiple ways to interpret it - position-wise and for example, this: 世界杯与穷人沾不上边. Here top is not top as in position, but priority? Does 不上边 have different meanings?</p>

<p>Here's the context for the first phrase:</p>

<p>Connie:     龃龉，我们看它的汉字。这两个字呢，都有一个，牙齿的齿… …它的左边。</p>

<p>徐州:     那跟牙齿有关系。</p>

<p>Connie:     啊，有关系。龃龉呢是说，牙齒上下，对不起。</p>

<p>徐州:     啊…</p>

<p>Connie:     嗯，就是它对不上，就是很错乱的。</p>

<p>徐州:     啊…唉…</p>

<p>Connie:     看起来很难看吧。</p>

<p>徐州:     对的。</p>

<p>Connie:     啊， 所以它用来比喻呢，啊， 双方的意见不和。</p>

<p>徐州:     嗯。观念啊、关点啊、始终是碰*<em>不上边</em>*的。</p>

<p>Connie:     嗯，对。</p>

<p>徐州:     好。</p>

<p>Connie:     所以我们会说龃龉不断或者发生龃龉。就是两个人产生意见不和你可以说发生龃龉。</p>

<translation>
Are there multiple translations for 不上边?
# Are there multiple translations for 不上边?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-02-04)

Trying to translate this: 始终是碰不上边的...

From the beginning, not able to meet (in agreement) with those above?

I searched on "不上边" in 百度 and it seems there are multiple ways to interpret it - position-wise and for example, this: 世界杯与穷人沾不上边. Here top is not top as in position, but priority? Does 不上边 have different meanings?

Here's the context for the first phrase:

Connie: 龃龉，我们看它的汉字。这两个字呢，都有一个，牙齿的齿… …它的左边。

徐州: 那跟牙齿有关系。

Connie: 啊，有关系。龃龉呢是说，牙齒上下，对不起。

徐州: 啊…

Connie: 嗯，就是它对不上，就是很错乱的。

徐州: 啊…唉…

Connie: 看起来很难看吧。

徐州: 对的。

Connie: 啊， 所以它用来比喻呢，啊， 双方的意见不和。

徐州: 嗯。观念啊、关点啊、始终是碰\**不上边*\*的。

Connie: 嗯，对。

徐州: 好。

Connie: 所以我们会说龃龉不断或者发生龃龉。就是两个人产生意见不和你可以说发生龃龉。

**Tags:** translation


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2014-02-04. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

There's two things going on; a verb (碰边 or 沾边) and an auxiliary verb (不上) inserted in the middle.

碰边, [沾边](http://baike.baidu.com/view/2730787.htm) literally mean "to touch the edge", which is a metaphor for relationship. [不上](http://www.zdic.net/c/d/142/310430.htm) means "unable to" in this context (similar to 不到 or 不得). So altogether, 碰不上边 means "unrelated".

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: I would probably refer to 不上 as a verb infix, rather than an aux verb. Anyway, terminology aside, this answer is right on the mark.  
> **username_4**: @username_5 sure; I'm no linguist so if you think the terminology can be corrected, please go ahead and make an edit.  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2014-02-05. Score: 2

> Are there multiple translations for 不上边?

The related phrases are:

1）无关

2）不着调

3）牛头不对马嘴

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: haha, I like #3, very interesting!  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2014-02-05. Score: 1

碰不上边(cannot touch each other's edge)=对不上(cannot match each other)=不合(cannot agree with each other)

不知道词源是怎么样的，但是你想象有两个盘子，连边都碰不上，怎么可能合得上呢？
(How can they match each other (like we are doing a jigsaw) even if their edge cannot touch each other?)

说 两个人（意见）不合，就是说they don't agree with each other.


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