从容不迫 (cóng róng-bú pò) — calm and composed; unruffled; (idiom) to be unhurried and steady

Definition

An idiom describing someone who stays calm, unhurried, and in control under pressure — emphasizes composure rather than simple slowness.

phrase
calm and composedunruffled(idiom) to be unhurried and steady

Examples

  • ，从容不迫。
    Miàn duì pī píng, tā yī rán cóng róng-bú pò dì fā biǎo le zì jǐ de kàn fǎ.
    Facing criticism, he still expressed his own opinion calmly.
  • 从容不迫，。
    Zhè wèi jiāng jūn zài zhàn chǎng shàng cóng róng-bú pò, zhǐ huī ruò dìng.
    This general was unruffled on the battlefield and commanded with composure.
  • 从容不迫，。
    Tā cóng róng-bú pò dì duān qǐ chá bēi, màn màn pǐn le yì kǒu.
    He calmly picked up his teacup and took a slow sip.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

从容calm
从cóng容róng
不迫not hurried
不bùnot迫pòpress
偏正Modifier + head

从容 and 不迫 combine as calm plus not hurried, giving a composed, unruffled sense.

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 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
从
从cóng從cóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

Open 从 →

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
公
公gōng容róng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 容, the 宀 (roof) part points to holding or containing, and 公 gives the sound.

Open 容 →

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 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái迫pò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 迫 pairs the walking radical 辶 (written in full as 辵) with 白, which gives the sound.

Open 迫 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.