当家作主 dāng jiā zuò zhǔ be one's own master

Explanation

指在家庭、单位或国家中拥有主导权，能够做出决定。

To have the leading role and the right to make decisions in family, unit, or country.

Origin Story

很久以前，在一个偏僻的小山村里，住着一户人家。家里有年迈的父母，还有几个兄弟姐妹。由于父母年事已高，无力打理家务，所以家里的事情都由哥哥负责。然而，哥哥却是一个好吃懒做的人，整天游手好闲，家里的事情都乱糟糟的。弟弟妹妹们看不下去了，他们商量着要改变现状。经过多次的努力，他们终于说服了父母，让弟弟来管理家里的事务。弟弟是一个勤劳肯干的人，他上任后，首先整顿家务，让家里焕然一新。他还积极地参与村里的事务，带领村民们共同建设家园。在他的带领下，小山村变得越来越繁荣富强。从此以后，这个小山村里的人们都过上了幸福快乐的生活。

hěn jiǔ yǐ qián, zài yīgè piān pì de xiǎo shān cūn lǐ, zhù zhe yī hù rén jiā. jiā lǐ yǒu nián mài de fù mǔ, hái yǒu jǐ gè xiōng dì jiě mèi. yóu yú fù mǔ nián shì yǐ gāo, wú lì dǎ lǐ jiā wù, suǒ yǐ jiā lǐ de shì qing dōu yóu gē ge fù zé. rán ér, gē ge què shì yīgè hào chī lǎn zuò de rén, zhěng tiān yóu shǒu hào xián, jiā lǐ de shì qing dōu luàn zāo zāo de. dì dì mèi mèi men kàn bù xià qù le, tā men shāng liang zhe yào gǎi biàn xiàn zhuàng. jīng guò duō cì de nǔ lì, tā men zōng yú shuō fú le fù mǔ, ràng dì dì lái guǎn lǐ jiā lǐ de shì wù. dì dì shì yīgè qín láo kěn gàn de rén, tā shàng rèn hòu, shǒu xiān zhěng dùn jiā wù, ràng jiā lǐ huàn rán yī xīn. tā hái jī jí de cān yù cūn lǐ de shì wù, dài lǐng cūn mín men gòng tóng jiàn shè jiā yuán. zài tā de dài lǐng xià, xiǎo shān cūn biàn de yuè lái yuè fán róng fù qiáng. cóng cǐ yǐ hòu, zhège xiǎo shān cūn lǐ de rén men dōu guò shang le xìng fú kuài lè de shēng huó.

Long ago, in a remote mountain village, there lived a family. The family consisted of elderly parents and several brothers and sisters. Because the parents were old and unable to manage the household chores, the eldest brother was responsible for the household affairs. However, the eldest brother was a lazy person, who spent his days idling about, causing the household affairs to become messy. The younger brothers and sisters could not bear it any longer and they discussed how to change the situation. After much effort, they finally persuaded their parents to let the younger brother manage the family affairs. The younger brother was a diligent and hardworking person. After taking office, he first put the household affairs in order, making the home completely new. He also actively participated in village affairs, leading the villagers to jointly build their homeland. Under his leadership, the small mountain village became more and more prosperous and strong. From then on, the people in this small mountain village lived a happy and blissful life.

Usage

常用作谓语、宾语、定语；多用于比喻义，形容掌握主动权，有主导权，能够独立自主地处理事情。

cháng yòng zuò wèi yǔ, bīn yǔ, dìng yǔ; duō yòng yú bǐ yù yì, xíng róng zhǎng wò zhǔ dòng quán, yǒu zhǔ dǎo quán, néng gòu dú lì zì zhǔ de chǔ lǐ shì qing.

Commonly used as a predicate, object, and attributive; mostly in a figurative sense, to describe the mastery of the initiative, leadership, and ability to independently handle things.

Examples

• 村民们终于可以当家作主，自己管理村里的事务了。

  cūn mín men zōng yú kě yǐ dāng jiā zuò zhǔ, zì jǐ guǎn lǐ cūn lǐ de shì wù le.

  The villagers can finally be their own masters and manage the village affairs themselves.

• 经过多年的努力，我们终于在公司里当家作主了。

  jīng guò duō nián de nǔ lì, wǒ men zōng yú zài gōng sī lǐ dāng jiā zuò zhǔ le.

  After years of hard work, we finally became the masters of our own company.

• 在学习中，我们应该当家作主，主动学习。

  zài xué xí zhōng, wǒ men yīng gāi dāng jiā zuò zhǔ, zhǔ dòng xué xí。

  In our studies, we should take the initiative to learn and be in charge of our own learning.

Related Idioms

• 当家

• 做主

• 主宰

• 掌管

Opposite Idioms

• 唯命是从

• 逆来顺受