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清闲 (qīng xián) — at leisure; free from work or worries

Definition

清闲 describes a state of being free from work or busy obligations — more about having no pressing duties than about relaxation itself. Often used for life after retirement or a quiet stretch of time.

adjective
at leisurefree from work or worries

Examples

  • ，清闲。
    Tuì xiū hòu, tā zhōng yú kě yǐ qīng xián le.
    After retirement, he can finally have leisure.
  • ，清闲。
    Zhè duàn shí jiān gōng zuò bù duō, wǒ guò dé hěn qīng xián.
    During this period, work isn't much, so I'm living a leisurely life.
  • 清闲，。
    Tā xǐ huan qīng xián de shēng huó, bù xǐ huan hěn máng.
    He likes a leisurely life; he doesn't like being very busy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

清qīngquiet
闲xiánidle

清 contributes quiet and 闲 contributes idle, giving a leisurely, untroubled state.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng清qīng
Same sound today

清 has 氵 (water) on the left and 青 on the right to show its sound.

Open 清 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 閒; 闲 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 閒 puts 月 (moon) inside 門 (door), as if moonlight peeks through a door; this picture gives the idea of a gap or space. The simplified 闲 is a later abbreviation.

Open 闲 →
Appears in
Daily Routine

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