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随遇而安 (suí yù ér ān) — to adapt to circumstances and be at ease wherever one is; to be content with one's lot

Definition

A four-character idiom meaning to accept any situation calmly and feel at home wherever fate places you. It implies a philosophical, contented attitude toward life's ups and downs, not just casual flexibility.

idiom
to adapt to circumstances and be at ease wherever one isto be content with one's lot

Examples

  • ，随遇而安。
    Tā xìng gé huò dá, wú lùn zài nǎ lǐ dōu néng suí yù ér ān.
    He has a broad-minded personality and can be content wherever he is.
  • ，随遇而安。
    Rén shēng bù kě néng shì shì shùn xīn, xué huì suí yù ér ān cái néng huó dé qīng sōng.
    Life cannot always go smoothly; learning to adapt to circumstances is the key to living easily.
  • ，随遇而安。
    Zhè wèi lǎo rén jīng lì guò hěn duō biàn qiān, zǎo jiù yǎng chéng le suí yù ér ān de tài dù.
    This elderly person has experienced many changes and has long cultivated a philosophy of accepting whatever comes.

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.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
禺
禺yú遇yù
Same sound today

遇 combines 辶, a walking-related part, with 禺, which gives the sound. The 辶 part shows that the meaning involves walking or moving.

Open 遇 →

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

The shape of 而 is a picture of a beard.

Open 而 →

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ安ān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 安, 宀 sits above a seated 女 on a cushion; 宀 is the meaning part, 女 is the sound part, and the character originally meant sitting at ease.

Open 安 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesPersonality & Traits

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