养尊处优 (yǎng zūn chǔ yōu) — to live in clover, to enjoy a life of ease and privilege

Definition

A set idiom (chengyu) meaning to live in luxury and ease without effort. Implies privilege and detachment from hardship or work.

idiom
to live in clover, to enjoy a life of ease and privilege

Examples

  • 养尊处优，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo yǎng zūn chǔ yōu, bù zhī dào shén me shì xīn kǔ.
    He has lived in clover since childhood and doesn't know what hardship is.
  • 养尊处优。
    Zhè xiē yǎng zūn chǔ yōu de guān yuán gēn běn bù liǎo jiě bǎi xìng de kùn nan.
    These officials who live in comfort have no idea about the difficulties of ordinary people.
  • 养尊处优，。
    Tā xí guàn le yǎng zūn chǔ yōu de rì zi, bú yuàn yì zuò rèn hé jiā wù.
    She is used to a life of ease and is unwilling to do any housework.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 養; 养 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 養 uses 羊 as a sound part and 食 as a meaning part.

Open 养 →

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

The shape combines 寸 (hand) and 酋 (wine), showing a hand offering a wine vessel to express respect; some forms show two hands instead.

Open 尊 →

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 處; 处 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
夂夂zhǐ
几几jǐtable
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū處chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 處 pairs 虍, giving the sound, with 夂 and 几, a table, as meaning parts. The simplified 处 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 处 →

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 優; 优 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
憂
憂yōu優yōu
Same sound today

The traditional form 優 combines 亻 (人, person) with 憂 for the sound; the simplified 优 is a later abbreviation.

Open 优 →

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