置之脑后 (zhì zhī nǎo hòu) — to completely forget or ignore; to put out of mind

Definition

A chengyu meaning to deliberately put something out of mind — stronger than 忘记 (which is just forgetting). Implies a conscious choice to ignore and move on.

idiom
to completely forget or ignoreto put out of mind

Examples

  • 置之脑后，。
    Tā zǎo jiù bǎ zhè jiàn shì zhì zhī nǎo hòu le, bié zài tí le.
    He has long since put this matter out of mind; don't bring it up again.
  • ，置之脑后。
    Wǒ jǐng gào guò tā hěn duō cì, dàn tā dōu zhì zhī nǎo hòu le.
    I warned him many times, but he ignored it all.
  • ，置之脑后，。
    Duì yú guò qù de shī bài, wǒ men yīng gāi zhì zhī nǎo hòu, xiàng qián kàn.
    As for past failures, we should put them out of mind and look forward.

Origin

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
罒Written in full as网wǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
直
直zhí置zhì
Same sound today

置 is built from 罒, a net, on top and 直 below; 直 gives the sound.

Open 置 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 腦; 脑 is its simplified writing.

  • 匕匕bǐ
  • 巛巛chuānhair
  • 囟囟xìnhead; fontanel

In the traditional form 腦, the older part 匕 was replaced by a flesh part, while 巛 (hair) and 囟 (head; fontanel) stayed. The simplified 脑 is a later abbreviation.

Open 脑 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 後; 后 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 後 showed 夊 (foot) bound by 幺 (thread), a foot caught by a rope and lagging behind; the simplified 后 is a later abbreviation, and 后 also has a different meaning.

Open 后 →

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