安于现状 (ān yú xiàn zhuàng) — to be content with the status quo (often implying complacency)

Definition

An idiom meaning 'to be content with the status quo,' almost always used in a negative or cautionary sense to warn against complacency and stagnation. Common in exhortative writing urging change or self-improvement.

idiom
to be content with the status quo (often implying complacency)

Examples

  • 安于现状，。
    Tā ān yú xiàn zhuàng, bú yuàn yì xué xí xīn dōng xī.
    He is content with the status quo and unwilling to learn new things.
  • 安于现状，。
    Gōng sī bù néng ān yú xiàn zhuàng, bì xū bú duàn chuàng xīn.
    The company cannot be complacent; it must keep innovating.
  • 安于现状，。
    Nián qīng rén bú yīng gāi ān yú xiàn zhuàng, yào yǒng yú zhuī qiú mèng xiǎng.
    Young people should not be content with the status quo; they should bravely pursue their dreams.

Origin

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.

  • 一一yīflat stream of air
  • 丂丂kǎoto exhale

The old shape of 于 may have pictured an ancient wind instrument. Another explanation reads 一 as a flat stream of air and 丂 as an exhaling mark.

Open 于 →

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 現; 现 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
見
見jiàn現
Same sound today

The traditional form 現 pairs 玉 (jade) with 見 as a sound part; the simplified 现 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 现 →

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 狀; 状 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犬犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán狀zhuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 狀 pairs 犬 (dog) with 爿 as a sound component; the simplified 状 is a shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 状 →

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