隐居 (yǐn jū) — live in seclusion

Definition

A literary verb meaning to withdraw from society and live a secluded life, often in the mountains or countryside, motivated by philosophical, religious, or artistic reasons.

verb
live in seclusion

Examples

  • 隐居。
    Tā tuì xiū hòu xuǎn zé yǐn jū zài shān lǐ.
    After retiring, he chose to live in seclusion in the mountains.
  • 隐居，。
    Zhè wèi zuò jiā yǐ jīng yǐn jū duō nián, hěn shǎo yǔ wài jiè lián xì.
    This writer has lived in seclusion for many years and rarely contacts the outside world.
  • 隐居。
    Gǔ dài hěn duō shī rén xuǎn zé yǐn jū yǐ yuǎn lí shì sú.
    Many ancient poets chose to live in seclusion to stay away from worldly affairs.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

隐yǐnhidden
居jūdwell

The sense of 隐, living hidden, shapes 居, to dwell, into living in seclusion.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 隱; 隐 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
㥯
㥯㥯隱yǐn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 隱 pairs 阝 (阜) with 㥯 to give the sound; the simplified 隐 is a shorthand, so its right side is not 㥯.

Open 隐 →

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
尸尸shī
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ居jū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

居 is built from 尸 as the meaning part and 古 (gǔ) as the sound part.

Open 居 →

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