任由 (rèn yóu) — to let (something happen without intervening); to allow (without restriction)

Definition

任由 (rèn yóu) means to deliberately let something happen or allow someone to do as they wish, without intervening. Stronger than letting (e.g. 让他去) because it implies conscious permissiveness, often with a sense of resignation.

verb
to let (something happen without intervening)to allow (without restriction)

Examples

  • 任由
    Nǐ bù néng rèn yóu hái zi yì zhí wán shǒu jī.
    You can't let your child keep playing on the phone.
  • 任由
    Tā zhàn zài yǔ zhōng, rèn yóu yǔ shuǐ dǎ shī yī fu.
    He stood in the rain, letting the rain soak his clothes.
  • 任由
    rèn yóu Qíng kuàng rú hé biàn huà, tā dōu bú huì fàng qì.
    No matter how the situation changes, he won't give up.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

yóufollow

任 and 由 both convey letting or following, together meaning to allow without stopping.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Written in full asrénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
rénrèn
Same sound today

任 pairs 亻, a person, with 壬, which may picture a shoulder pole turned sideways.

Open 任 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

It began as a drawing of new shoots or leaves growing upward from a plant-like base.

Open 由 →

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