复得返自然

復得返自然

fùdéfǎnzìrán

phrase

Meanings

1 to return at last to the natural state
2 to come back to one's true, unforced way of life
3 (lit.) once more able to return to nature

Characters

again / once more

to be able to / obtain

so / thus (自然 = nature, naturalness)

Examples

辞职回乡种田，他终于复得返自然。

Cízhí huíxiāng zhòngtián, tā zhōngyú fù dé fǎn zìrán.

Quitting his job to farm in the countryside, he finally 'returned to his natural state.'

退休后的生活让她有种复得返自然的感觉。

Tuìxiū hòu de shēnghuó ràng tā yǒu zhǒng fù dé fǎn zìrán de gǎnjué.

Life after retirement gave her a sense of 'returning at last to nature.'

Tips

history

From 陶渊明《归园田居·其一》 (Tao Yuanming, Eastern Jin dynasty): 久在樊笼里，复得返自然 (Long caged in the cage, I return at last to my true nature). Tao Yuanming resigned his magistrate post rather than 为五斗米折腰 (bow for five pecks of rice) and returned to farm life. 自然 here means both 'nature' (fields, hills) and 'one's natural, unforced state' — the Daoist ideal of 无为.

usage

Forms a couplet with 久在樊笼里. Best quoted in the full pair for effect. 复 here = 'once again, at last,' not 'to reply.'

Stroke Order

复 fù

得 dé

返 fǎn

自 zì

然 rán