不羁

不羈
bùjī
adjective

Meanings

  1. 1 unfettered; unrestrained
  2. 2 free-spirited; uninhibited

Examples

HSK 4
Tā shì ge xìnggé bùjī de huàjiā.
He is a free-spirited painter.
HSK 7-9
Tā bú yuànyi bèi hūnyīn shùfù, yìzhí guò zhe bùjī de shēnghuó.
Unwilling to be tied down by marriage, she has always lived a free and unfettered life.

Tips

usage
羁 is a horse's bridle, so 不羁 is "unbridled", praise for a free spirit as often as criticism. Set phrases: 放荡不羁 (wild and dissolute), 不羁之才 (a talent no rules can hold).
culture
Beyond's 1993 Cantonese song 《海阔天空》 has the line 原谅我这一生不羁放纵爱自由, "forgive me for a whole life unbound, unruly and in love with freedom", and fans across China still sing it.

Stroke Order

不 bù
羁 jī