随意 (suí yì) — at will; as one wishes; voluntary | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

随意 describes actions done freely by one's own choice — like '随意坐' ('sit anywhere you like'). It focuses on the speaker's/writer's unrestricted freedom; 主动 and 自愿 emphasize the subject's own initiative and willingness.

adjective

at willas one wishesvoluntary

Examples

随意，。
Tā chuān dé hěn suí yì, méi yǒu dǎ lǐng dài.
He dressed very casually, without wearing a tie.
随意，。
Zhè shì yí gè suí yì de jué dìng, bú shì qiǎng pò de.
This is a voluntary decision, not forced.
随意，。
Dà jiā suí yì zuò, bú yòng kè qi.
Everyone, sit wherever you like; don't stand on ceremony.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

随 gives following, and 意 gives wish, so the whole means as one wishes.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 隨; 随 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辵辵chuòwalking

Sound part声符shēngfú

𡐦

𡐦𡐦隨suí

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 隨 pairs 辵 (walking) with 𡐦 (the sound part); the simplified 随 is a later shorthand.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Will & Intention 5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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