恣 (zì) — (bound form) unrestrained; indulgent; to do as one pleases
Definition
恣 is a bound morpheme meaning 'unrestrained / willful,' almost always appearing in set phrases like 恣意 and 恣情 to intensify a negative action (acting recklessly, indulging desires). It is a written/literary word, not used alone in everyday speech.
bound form
unrestrainedindulgentto do as one pleases
Easily confused
- 盗dàolook-aliketo steal, to rob, to plunder (formal; often used in compounds)
- 自zìsound-alike(preposition) from (indicating a starting point in space or time)
- 姿zīlook-alikeposture, carriage
- 字zìsound-alikecharacter (Chinese character)
- 资zīlook-alike(bound form) capital; money; funds
- 渍zìsound-aliketo soak; to steep
Examples
- ，。Tā zì yì wàng wéi, zuì zhōng shòu dào le chéng fá.He acted recklessly and willfully, and was eventually punished.
- 恣。Nián qīng rén bù yīng zì qíng zòng yù.Young people should not indulge their passions and desires.
- ，。Tā zì yì huī huò jiā chǎn, hěn kuài bài guāng le.He squandered the family fortune wantonly and soon lost it all.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
恣 puts 次 over 心, the heart; 次 gives the sound, and 心 relates to feelings.
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