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放荡不羁 (fàng dàng bù jī) — unconventional and unrestrained; free-spirited and defiant of social conventions

Definition

A chengyu describing a person whose personality or lifestyle freely defies social conventions. Carries a slightly rebellious or bohemian tone — admiring in artistic contexts, but potentially negative for irresponsible behavior.

idiom
unconventional and unrestrainedfree-spirited and defiant of social conventions

Examples

  • 放荡不羁，。
    Tā nián qīng shí xìng gé fàng dàng bù jī, bú yuàn yì bèi rèn hé guī ju shù fù.
    When he was young, his personality was unconventional and unrestrained; he didn't want to be bound by any rules.
  • 放荡不羁，。
    Zhè wèi huà jiā yǐ fàng dàng bù jī de fēng gé wén míng, zuò pǐn chōng mǎn zì yóu yǔ jī qíng.
    This painter is famous for his unconventional style; his works are full of freedom and passion.
  • 放荡不羁，。
    Tā nà zhǒng fàng dàng bù jī de shēng huó tài dù ràng hěn duō rén xiàn mù, dàn yě ràng jiā rén dān xīn.
    His unrestrained attitude toward life made many people envious, but also worried his family.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 蕩; 荡 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 荡 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 蕩; in others it is 盪.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
湯
湯tāng蕩dàng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

About the traditional form 蕩: it is made of 艹 (grass, written fully as 艸) and 湯, which gives the sound. The simplified 荡 is only a later shorthand.

Open 荡 →

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 羁 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesPersonality & Traits

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