自由自在
- Literal
- self-free, self-at-ease
- Figurative
- Free and easy, carefree; doing as one pleases without restraint or worry.
Where does 自由自在 come from?
It is not a plotted fable but a phrase with Buddhist roots that is documented in a classical text. The word 自在 (“at ease, unhindered”) already denoted, in Chinese Buddhism, the inner freedom of one released from all bonds, and here it is reinforced by 自由 (“free”) in two parallel halves. Its usual classical citation is the 《景德传灯录》 (Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp), compiled by the monk Daoyuan in the Song dynasty: in a Chan dialogue, asked what a certain master was like, the reply is simply “自由自在”. From that Buddhist record it passed into everyday speech to describe someone who lives without ties or worries, and today it is very common in both spoken and written Chinese.
Source (出处): 《景德传灯录》
How is 自由自在 used? Two examples
- 退休以后，他每天钓鱼养花，过得自由自在。
Since he retired, he fishes and tends his flowers every day, living free and easy.
- 小鸟在天空中自由自在地飞来飞去。
The little birds fly back and forth across the sky, free and unrestrained.
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