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放任自流 (fàng rèn zì liú) — (idiom) to let things drift; to adopt a laissez-faire attitude; to allow nature to take its course

Definition

Idiom meaning 'to let things drift' with a NEGATIVE tone — used when someone fails to intervene and problems worsen. Often describes negligent management or parenting.

idiom
to let things driftto adopt a laissez-faire attitudeto allow nature to take its course

Examples

  • 放任自流，。
    Duì hái zi de jiào yù bù néng fàng rèn zì liú, xū yào shì dàng de yǐn dǎo.
    Children's education cannot be left to drift; proper guidance is needed.
  • 放任自流。
    Zhè zhǒng fàng rèn zì liú de guǎn lǐ fāng shì dǎo zhì gōng sī yè jì yí luò qiān zhàng.
    This laissez-faire management style caused the company's performance to plummet.
  • 放任自流，。
    Rú guǒ wǒ men fàng rèn zì liú, wèn tí zhī huì yuè lái yuè yán zhòng.
    If we let things slide, the problem will only get worse.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

放任let alone
放fànglet任rènallow
联合Coordinate
自流flow by itself
自zìself流liúflow
偏正Modifier + head

放任 and 自流 are parallel, with 放 and 任 both meaning let, while 自 and 流 suggest flowing by itself.

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
攵Written in full as攴pūhand, action
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng放fàng
Same sound today

放 uses 方 for its sound and 攵, a hand/action part, to mark an action of release.

Open 放 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
壬
壬rén任rèn
Same sound today

任 pairs 亻, a person, with 壬, which may picture a shoulder pole turned sideways.

Open 任 →

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㐬
㐬㐬流liú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Open 流 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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