放任 (fàng rèn) — to indulge (without restraint), to let run wild… | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

放任 means to let something (usually bad behavior) continue unchecked — passive permissiveness, not active encouragement. Often paired with 不管 in the pattern 放任…不管.

adjective

to indulge (without restraint)to let run wildto neglect to intervene (when one should)

Examples

放任。
Fù mǔ bù néng fàng rèn hái zi zuò rèn hé shì.
Parents cannot let their children do whatever they want.
放任。
Duì cuò wù de xíng wéi bù néng fàng rèn bù guǎn.
You cannot let wrong behavior go unchecked.
放任。
Cháng qī fàng rèn huì dǎo zhì wèn tí yuè lái yuè yán zhòng.
Long-term indulgence will cause problems to become more and more serious.

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.

放fànglet loose

“放” means let loose, and “任” means allow; together they mean leave something without restraint.

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.

方攵放

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攵Written in full as攴pūhand, action

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng放fàng

Same sound today

放 uses 方 for its sound and 攵, a hand/action part, to mark an action of release.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亻壬任

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

壬

壬rén任rèn

Same sound today

任 pairs 亻, a person, with 壬, which may picture a shoulder pole turned sideways.

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