私自 (sī zì) — (adverb) without permission; secretly; privately (doing something unauthorized)
Definition
私自 means doing something without authorization, with a focus on violating rules or approval — stronger and more formal than 偷偷 ('secretly'). It pairs closely with 擅自, which emphasizes acting beyond one's authority.
adverb
without permissionsecretlyprivately (doing something unauthorized)
Examples
- 私自。Nǐ bù néng sī zì ná zǒu gōng sī de wù pǐn.You cannot take company property without permission.
- 私自。Tā sī zì yòng dān wèi de chē qù lǚ yóu.He used the company's car for a trip without authorization.
- ，私自。Qǐng bào gào, bú yào sī zì chǔ lǐ zhè jiàn shì.Please report it; don't handle this matter privately without approval.
Appears in
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