玩世不恭 (wán shì bù gōng) — to be cynical toward life; to treat worldly conventions with defiant indifference

Definition

An idiom describing someone who treats life's conventions with cynical disdain, acting as if nothing matters. Carries a negative judgment — disapproval of a flippant, irreverent attitude toward the world.

idiom
to be cynical toward lifeto treat worldly conventions with defiant indifference

Examples

  • 玩世不恭。
    Tā zhè zhǒng wán shì bù gōng de tài dù ràng zhǎng bèi hěn shī wàng.
    His cynical attitude toward life disappointed the elders.
  • ,玩世不恭。
    Nián qīng rén kě yǐ yǒu gè xìng, dàn bú yào wán shì bù gōng.
    Young people can have personality, but they shouldn't be cynical toward life.
  • 玩世不恭,。
    Tā biǎo miàn shàng wán shì bù gōng, qí shí nèi xīn hěn rèn zhēn.
    Outwardly he seems cynical, but deep down he's very serious.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

玩世play with the world
玩wánplay with世shìworld
动宾Verb + object
不恭not respectful
不bùnot恭gōngrespectful
偏正Modifier + head

玩世 and 不恭 stand side by side: playing with the world and showing no respect.

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
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
元
元yuán玩wán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

玩 pairs 玉 (jade) with 元 (yuán) for sound. The jade part points to toys made of jade.

Open 玩 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 世 →

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
共
共gòng恭gōng
Same sound today

恭 has 心, meaning heart, and 共, read gòng.

Open 恭 →

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