放荡不羁 fàng dàng bù jī Dissolute and Unrestrained

Explanation

形容人行为放纵，不受约束，不拘礼法。

Describes a person's behavior as unrestrained, free from constraints, and unconcerned with rules or laws.

Origin Story

晋朝时，有个叫王长文的读书人，他从小就天资聪颖，学识渊博，但为人却放荡不羁，不喜欢被约束。州府多次征召他去做官，都被他拒绝了。他宁愿过着自由自在的生活，潜心研究学问，著书立说，留下许多传世之作。有一年，四川大旱，官府开仓放粮救济灾民，王长文也借了不少粮食，但后来却因为无力偿还而惹上了官司。虽然经历了一些波折，但他依然保持着自己放荡不羁的个性，始终坚持自己的理想和追求，最终成为一代名士。他的故事，也成为了后人谈论的佳话，说明了在那个时代，也有人坚持自己的个性，即使面临困境也不放弃自己的理想。他的故事也反映了古代士人的一种生活态度：追求自由，不为名利所累，活出自我。当然，我们也要看到，他的某些行为也存在一定的局限性，例如借粮不还，这在现代社会看来是不道德的。

jìn cháo shí, yǒu gè jiào wáng cháng wén de dúshū rén, tā cóng xiǎo jiù tiān zī cōng yǐng, xué shí yuān bó, dàn wéi rén què fàngdàng bù jī, bù xǐhuan bèi yuēshù. zhōu fǔ duō cì zhēng zhào tā zuò guān, dōu bèi tā jùjué le. tā níng yuàn guòzhe zìyóu zìzài de shēnghuó, qiányīn yánjiū xuéwèn, zhù shū lì shuō, liú xià xǔduō chuánshì zhī zuò. yǒu yī nián, sìchuān dà hàn, guānfǔ kāi cāng fàng liáng jiùjì zāimín, wáng cháng wén yě jiè le bù shǎo liángshi, dàn hòulái què yīnwèi wú lì cháng huán ér rě le guānsī. suīrán jīnglì le yīxiē bōzhé, dàn tā yīrán bǎochí zhe zìjǐ fàngdàng bù jī de gèxìng, shǐzhōng jiānchí zìjǐ de lǐxiǎng hé zhuīqiú, zuìzhōng chéngwéi yīdài míngshì. tā de gùshì, yě chéngwéi le hòurén tánlùn de jiāhuà, shuōmíng le zài nàge shídài, yě yǒu rén jiānchí zìjǐ de gèxìng, jíshǐ miànlín kùnjìng yě bù fàngqì zìjǐ de lǐxiǎng. tā de gùshì yě fǎnyìng le gǔdài shìrén de yī zhǒng shēnghuó tàidù: zhuīqiú zìyóu, bù wéi mínglì suǒ lèi, huó chū zìwǒ. dāngrán, wǒmen yě yào kàn dào, tā de mǒuxiē xíngwéi yě cúnzài yīdìng de júxiàn xìng, lìrú jiè liáng bù huán, zhè zài xiàndài shèhuì kàn lái shì bù dàodé de.

During the Jin Dynasty, there was a scholar named Wang Changwen. He was gifted and erudite from a young age, but his character was dissolute and unrestrained; he disliked being constrained. He was summoned by the authorities many times to take up office, but he refused each offer. He preferred to live a carefree life, devoted himself to his studies, and left behind many classic works. One year, there was a great drought in Sichuan, and the authorities opened their granaries to relieve the affected people. Wang Changwen also borrowed a large amount of grain, but later he could not repay it and got into legal trouble. Despite these setbacks, he maintained his dissolute personality, continued to pursue his ideals, and eventually became a famous scholar. His story has become an anecdote that shows that even in that era, there were people who held on to their personality and didn't give up their ideals, even when faced with difficulties. His story also reflects the attitude toward life of ancient scholars: the pursuit of freedom, unburdened by fame and fortune, and living according to their own will. Of course, we must also see the limitations of his behavior, such as not repaying the borrowed grain, which would be unethical in modern society.

Usage

用于形容人的行为放纵，不受约束，不拘小节。

yòng yú xiángróng rén de xíngwéi fàngzòng, bù shòu yuēshù, bù jū xiǎo jié

Used to describe a person's behavior as unrestrained, free from constraints, and unconcerned with details.

Examples

• 他性格放荡不羁，我行我素。

  tā xìnggé fàngdàng bù jī, wǒ xíng wǒ sù

  He has a dissolute and unrestrained personality, doing whatever he wants.

• 他生活放荡不羁，不拘小节。

  tā shēnghuó fàngdàng bù jī, bù jū xiǎo jié

  He lives a dissolute life, without paying attention to details.

• 他是一个放荡不羁的艺术家。

  tā shì yīgè fàngdàng bù jī de yìshùjiā

  He is a dissolute artist

Related Idioms

• 放浪形骸

• 自由奔放

Opposite Idioms

• 循规蹈矩

• 规行矩步

• 墨守成规