恣意妄为 (zì yì wàng wéi) — to act willfully and unscrupulously; to do whatever one pleases regardless of consequences

Definition

A strong, formal idiom for acting on selfish impulse with no regard for rules or consequences. Typically used to condemn behavior by those in power.

idiom
to act willfully and unscrupulouslyto do whatever one pleases regardless of consequences

Examples

  • ，恣意妄为，。
    Tā zhàng zhe yǒu qián, zài xiǎo qū lǐ zì yì wàng wéi, lín jū men dōu hěn bù mǎn.
    Relying on his wealth, he acts willfully in the neighborhood, and the neighbors are very upset.
  • 恣意妄为，。
    Guǎn lǐ céng rú guǒ zì yì wàng wéi, zuì zhōng huì shī qù yuán gōng de xìn rèn.
    If management acts unscrupulously, it will ultimately lose the trust of employees.
  • 恣意妄为、。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng pī pàn le gǔ dài quán guì zì yì wàng wéi, qī yā bǎi xìng de xíng wéi.
    This film criticizes the way ancient nobles acted willfully and oppressed the common people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

恣意indulge one's will
恣zìindulge意yìwill
动宾Verb + object
妄为act recklessly
妄wàngreckless为wèiact
偏正Modifier + head

恣意妄为 joins 恣意, indulging one's will, with 妄为, acting recklessly, to describe willful misconduct.

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
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
次
次cì恣zì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

恣 puts 次 over 心, the heart; 次 gives the sound, and 心 relates to feelings.

Open 恣 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 意 →

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
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
亡
亡wáng妄wàng
Same sound today

妄 combines 亡, which supplies the sound, with 女, a woman.

Open 妄 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →

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