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听之任之 (tīng zhī rèn zhī) — to let things slide; to adopt a laissez-faire attitude

Definition

Chengyu meaning 'let things slide' — a critical or reproachful way to say someone ignores a problem they should address. Used for deliberate inaction, not simple negligence.

idiom
to let things slideto adopt a laissez-faire attitude

Examples

  • ，听之任之。
    Duì yú hái zi de huài xí guàn, jiā zhǎng bù néng tīng zhī rèn zhī.
    Parents cannot let their children's bad habits slide.
  • ，听之任之。
    Miàn duì huán jìng wū rǎn, zhèng fǔ jué bù néng tīng zhī rèn zhī.
    Facing environmental pollution, the government absolutely cannot adopt a laissez-faire attitude.
  • 听之任之，。
    Tā duì gōng sī de wèn tí yì zhí tīng zhī rèn zhī, dǎo zhì sǔn shī cǎn zhòng.
    He has been letting the company's problems slide, leading to heavy losses.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

听之let it
听tīnglet之zhīit
动宾Verb + object
任之let it
任rènlet之zhīit
动宾Verb + object

To 听 it and to 任 it is to let things take their course.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 聽; 听 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 聽 has 耳 (ear) and 口 (mouth), used for listening; the simplified 听 is a later shortened form unrelated to that picture.

Open 听 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
壬
壬rén任rèn
Same sound today

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

Open 任 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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