恣意 (zì yì) — recklessly; willfully; unbridled | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal adverb meaning 'recklessly, willfully' — adds a tone of moral disapproval to the verb. Often pairs with negative actions (破坏, 践踏) in writing.

adverb

recklesslywillfullyunbridled

Examples

恣意，。
Tā zì yì huā qián, hěn kuài jiù méi qián le.
He spent money recklessly and soon ran out.
恣意。
Tā zì yì xiǎng shòu měi hǎo de jià qī.
She enjoyed her vacation unbridledly.
恣意。
Bù néng zì yì pò huài guī zé.
You must not recklessly break the rules.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

恣zìindulge

恣 indulge with 意 will gives the sense of following one's will recklessly.

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.

次心恣

Meaning part形符xíngfú

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.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in

Personality & Traits

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