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自满 (zì mǎn) — complacent, self-satisfied

Definition

自满 (zìmǎn) is purely negative — 'complacent, smug in one's achievements' — unlike 自信 ('confident') or 自豪 ('proud of'), which are positive. Closer to the smug tone of 得意扬扬, but describes a lasting attitude rather than a momentary feeling.

adjective
complacentself-satisfied

Examples

  • 自满。
    Tā yīn wèi zì mǎn ér shī qù le hěn duō jī huì.
    He lost many opportunities because of complacency.
  • 自满，。
    Wǒ men jué bù néng zì mǎn, yào shí kè bǎo chí qiān xū.
    We must never be complacent; we must always remain humble.
  • 自满。
    Qǔ dé chéng jì hòu róng yì chǎn shēng zì mǎn xīn lǐ.
    After achieving results, it's easy to develop a complacent mindset.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

自zìself
满mǎnfull; satisfied

自 points to oneself, and 满 means full or satisfied; together they convey being full with oneself.

Characters in this word

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 滿; 满 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒼
㒼㒼滿mǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 滿 pairs 水, showing water, with 㒼, giving the sound. The simplified 满 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

Open 满 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Personality & Traits

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