泰然 (tài rán) — calm and composed; self-possessed

Definition

泰然 (tài rán) describes a calm, self-possessed state, almost always used as part of set phrases like 泰然自若 ('calm and composed') or 泰然处之 ('to take it in stride'). It is a literary/formal word — in everyday speech use 冷静 instead.

verb
calm and composedself-possessed

Examples

  • 泰然。
    Tā miàn duì wēi jī shí fēi cháng tài rán.
    He is very calm in the face of crisis.
  • 。
    Tā tài rán zì ruò dì chǔ lǐ le wèn tí.
    She handled the problem calmly and composedly.
  • 泰然。
    Zài yā lì xià bǎo chí tài rán shì yì zhǒng néng lì.
    Staying calm under pressure is an ability.

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.

泰tàicalm
然ránstate

泰 conveys calmness, while 然 adds a settled state, giving composed.

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
廾廾gǒngtwo hands
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
大
大dà泰tài
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

泰 combines 大 for sound with 廾 (two hands) and 水 (water), showing hands handling water or something slippery.

Open 泰 →

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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