悠然 (yōu rán) — carefree and leisurely; unhurried and content

Definition

A literary, adjective-like word for a calm, unhurried ease — like the feeling of a leisurely walk or a distant bell. Stronger and more poetic than everyday 悠闲, with no sense of effort.

verb
carefree and leisurelyunhurried and content

Examples

  • 悠然。
    Tā xǐ huan zài zhōu mò yōu rán dì sàn bù.
    He likes to take a leisurely walk on weekends.
  • 悠然。
    Tā guò zhe yōu rán zì dé de shēng huó.
    She lives a carefree and contented life.
  • 悠然。
    Yuǎn chù chuán lái yōu rán de zhōng shēng.
    The distant sound of a bell came from afar.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

悠yōucarefree and leisurely
然ránsuffix

悠 supplies the sense of carefree ease, while 然 marks that sense as a state.

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
心心xīnheart; mind
Sound part声符shēngfú
攸
攸yōu悠yōu
Same sound today

悠 pairs 攸, which gives the sound, with 心, meaning heart or mind.

Open 悠 →

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
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →

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