泰然自若 (tài rán zì ruò) — calm and composed under pressure; self-possessed in a crisis

Definition

A formal 成语 meaning 'calm and composed, especially under pressure' — describes a person's steady demeanor in crisis or confrontation, not just a relaxed mood.

idiom
calm and composed under pressureself-possessed in a crisis

Examples

  • ，泰然自若，。
    Miàn duì tū rú qí lái de shì gù, tā jìng rán tài rán zì ruò, cóng róng zhǐ huī dà jiā chè lí.
    Faced with the sudden accident, he remained calm and composed, calmly directing everyone to evacuate.
  • ，泰然自若。
    Miàn shì shí miàn shì guān gù yì diāo nàn, tā què tài rán zì ruò dì yī yī zuò dá.
    During the interview, the interviewer deliberately made things difficult, but she answered each question calmly and composedly.
  • ，泰然自若，。
    Zài biàn lùn bǐ sài zhōng, tā shǐ zhōng tài rán zì ruò, méi yǒu yīn wèi duì shǒu de zhuī wèn ér huāng luàn.
    In the debate competition, he stayed calm and composed throughout, never flustered by the opponent's probing questions.

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.

泰然calmly
泰tàicalm然ránstate
后缀Suffix
自若as usual
自zìself若ruòlike
主谓Subject + predicate

泰然 conveys calmness, 自若 conveys ease as usual, together describing self-possessed composure.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

若 began as a picture of a person combing their hair, associated with obedience.

Open 若 →

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