安乐窝 (ān lè wō) — cozy nest, happy retreat; an easy, comfortable life (in a figurative sense)

Definition

Figurative term for one's 'cozy nest' — a place of comfort and ease. Often used (sometimes self-deprecatingly) for a home, café, or routine that feels sheltered from life's struggles.

noun
cozy nesthappy retreatan easycomfortable life (in a figurative sense)

Examples

  • 安乐窝。
    Zhōu mò wǒ jiù xǐ huan dài zài zì jǐ de ān lè wō lǐ kàn shū hē chá.
    On weekends I just like to stay in my cozy nest reading and drinking tea.
  • 安乐窝，。
    Zhè ge kā fēi guǎn jiù shì wǒ de ān lè wō, měi cì lái dōu hěn fàng sōng.
    This café is my happy retreat — every time I come I feel relaxed.
  • ，安乐窝。
    Tā bù xiǎng fèn dòu le, zhī xiǎng shǒu zhe zì jǐ de ān lè wō guò yí bèi zi.
    He doesn't want to strive anymore; he just wants to stay in his comfortable nest for the rest of his life.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

安乐peaceful happiness
安ānpeace乐lèhappiness
联合Side by side
窝wōnest

安 and 乐 together evoke peaceful happiness, and 窝 is the nest, giving a cozy retreat.

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ安ān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 安, 宀 sits above a seated 女 on a cushion; 宀 is the meaning part, 女 is the sound part, and the character originally meant sitting at ease.

Open 安 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樂; 乐 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 樂, 絲 (string) with 木 (wood) shows strings on a piece of wood, a musical instrument; the simplified 乐 is a later shorthand.

Open 乐 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 窩; 窝 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xuécave
Sound part声符shēngfú
咼
咼wāi窩wō
Same sound today

The traditional form 窩 uses 穴, a cave, for meaning and 咼 for sound; the simplified 窝 is a later shorthand.

Open 窝 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.