归隐

歸隱

guīyǐn

verb #49,766

Meanings

1 to retire to a life of seclusion
2 to withdraw from public life and live as a recluse
3 to go back to one's native place and live in seclusion

Characters

to hide; to live in seclusion

Examples

陶渊明辞官后归隐田园。

Táo Yuānmíng cíguān hòu guīyǐn tiányuán.

After resigning his post, Tao Yuanming retired to live in seclusion in the countryside.

他厌倦了城市生活，准备归隐山林。

Tā yànjuànle chéngshì shēnghuó, zhǔnbèi guīyǐn shānlín.

He's tired of city life and is preparing to retreat to the mountains.

Tips

culture

Anchored in the Confucian / Daoist scholar-recluse tradition: officials who refused to serve a corrupt court would 归隐 — return home and farm, write, or wander mountains. The poster boy is 陶渊明 (Tao Yuanming, 365-427), whose poem 《归去来兮辞》 became the genre's anthem.

register

Literary. In modern speech, 退休 (tuìxiū, to retire) covers regular career retirement; 归隐 keeps its classical aroma — used for celebrities or executives stepping out of the spotlight, often into the mountains or countryside.

Stroke Order

归 guī

隐 yǐn