想当然 (xiǎng dāng rán) — to take for granted; to assume uncritically | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

想当然 (xiǎng dāng rán) means to assume something is true without checking — a presumptuous, uncritical stance. It carries a negative judgment, unlike neutral 'assume' (假设/以为). Often used in the pattern 不能/不要 + 想当然 to warn against it.

verb

to take for grantedto assume uncritically

Examples

想当然。
Nǐ bù néng xiǎng dāng rán dì rèn wéi tā men dōu huì tóng yì.
You can't take for granted that they will all agree.
想当然，。
Hěn duō wèn tí bù néng xiǎng dāng rán, xū yào rèn zhēn sī kǎo.
Many problems can't be taken for granted; they require careful thought.
想当然。
Zhè zhǒng xiǎng dāng rán de tài dù hěn róng yì chū cuò.
This kind of presumptuous attitude easily leads to mistakes.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

当然as so

当dāngregard as然ránso

动宾Verb + object

想 means to think, and 当 + 然 give the sense of taking it as so.

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.

相心想

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart, mind

Sound part声符shēngfú

相

相xiāng想xiǎng

Same sound today

想 has 心 (heart, mind) below 相 (to look at); the shape shows the mind looking at or considering something, and 相 also gives the sound.

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 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

田田tiánfield

Sound part声符shēngfú

尚

尚shàng當dāng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

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'.

Appears in

Thinking & Cognition

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