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随机应变 (suí jī yìng biàn) — to adapt flexibly to changing circumstances; to act according to the situation

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'to adapt on the spot to changing circumstances' — adjust your approach to fit the situation rather than following a fixed plan.

idiom
to adapt flexibly to changing circumstancesto act according to the situation

Examples

  • 随机应变，。
    Gōng zuò zhōng yào néng suí jī yìng biàn, bù néng tài sǐ bǎn.
    At work you need to adapt to circumstances; you can't be too rigid.
  • ，随机应变。
    Yù dào tū fā qíng kuàng, bì xū suí jī yìng biàn cái néng jiě jué wèn tí.
    When you encounter emergencies, you must adapt to circumstances in order to solve the problem.
  • 随机应变，。
    Tán pàn de shí hou yào suí jī yìng biàn, bú yào jiān chí yí gè fāng àn.
    During negotiations, you should adapt to circumstances and not stick to one plan.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

随机follow opportunity
随suífollow机jīopportunity
动宾Verb + object
应变respond to change
应yìngrespond变biànchange
动宾Verb + object

随 (follow) + 机 (opportunity) and 应 (respond) + 变 (change) describe adapting as events shift.

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.

Open 随 →

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
木木mùtree; wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ机jī
Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Open 机 →

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 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
䧹
䧹䧹應yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →

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 變; 变 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
䜌
䜌䜌變biàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 變 uses 䜌 as a sound part and 攴 as a meaning part.

Open 变 →
Appears in
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