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安分 (ān fèn) — content with one's lot, knowing one's place (and not overstepping one's role)

Definition

A traditional, virtue-leaning adjective meaning content with one's lot and not overstepping one's role — close to ‘knowing one's place.’ Often carries a conservative or approving tone in older or moralistic contexts.

adjective
content with one's lotknowing one's place (and not overstepping one's role)

Examples

  • 安分，。
    Tā zhè ge rén hěn ān fèn, cóng lái bù rě má fan.
    He is a person who knows his place, never causing trouble.
  • 安分，。
    Tā ān fèn dì guò zhe jiǎn dān de shēng huó, cóng bú xiàn mù bié rén.
    She lives a simple life contentedly, never envying others.
  • 安分，。
    Fù mǔ xī wàng hái zi néng ān fèn, bú yào zuò chāo chū zì jǐ néng lì de shì.
    Parents hope their children will know their place and not do things beyond their ability.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

安āncontent with
分fēnlot or role

安 means to be content with, and 分 means one's lot or role, giving knowing one's place.

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ安ān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 安, 宀 sits above a seated 女 on a cushion; 宀 is the meaning part, 女 is the sound part, and the character originally meant sitting at ease.

Open 安 →

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

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →
Appears in
Personality & Traits

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