安然无恙 (ān rán wú yàng) — safe and sound, unscathed (after a dangerous si…

Definition

A four-character idiom meaning completely unharmed after danger or disaster. It is a more literary alternative to 平平安安, typically used in written reports about accidents, disasters, or close calls.

idiom

safe and soundunscathed (after a dangerous situation)

Examples

，。
Zhè cì dì zhèn zhōng, suǒ yǒu rén dōu ān rán wú yàng.
Everyone was safe and sound during this earthquake.
，。
Tā kāi chē chū le shì gù, dàn rén dōu ān rán wú yàng.
He had a car accident, but everyone was safe and sound.
，安然无恙。
Jīng guò liǎng tiān bào fēng yǔ, chuán shàng de shuǐ shǒu quán dōu ān rán wú yàng.
After two days of storm, all the sailors on the ship were safe and sound.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

安然peaceful

安ānsafe然ránstate

偏正Modifier + head

无恙unharmed

无wúwithout恙yàngharm

动宾Verb + object

安然 gives a peaceful state, and 无恙 says without harm.

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.

宀女安

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 →

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

火火huǒfire

Sound part声符shēngfú

肰

肰rán然rán

Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

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

心心xīn

Sound part声符shēngfú

羊

羊yáng恙yàng

Same sound today

恙 is built from 心, the heart part, and 羊, which gives the sound.

Open 恙 →

Appears in

Idioms & Set Phrases Safety & Danger