并怡然自乐

並怡然自樂

bìngyíránzìlè

phrase

Meanings

1 and all are content and happy in themselves
2 Tao Yuanming's description of villagers in Peach Blossom Spring — a shorthand for pastoral contentment

Characters

joyful / serene

(adverbial suffix)

Examples

退休后在乡下种菜养鸡，他们并怡然自乐。

Tuìxiū hòu zài xiāngxià zhòng cài yǎng jī, tāmen bìng yí rán zì lè.

After retiring to grow vegetables and raise chickens in the countryside, they are content and at peace.

游客看这山村老少并怡然自乐，忍不住按下快门。

Yóukè kàn zhè shāncūn lǎo-shào bìng yí rán zì lè, rěnbuzhù àn xià kuàimén.

Seeing the young and old of the mountain village all content and happy, tourists couldn't help snapping photos.

Tips

history

From 《桃花源记》 by 陶渊明 (Tao Yuanming, Eastern Jin): '黄发垂髫，并怡然自乐。' The 黄发 (elderly) and 垂髫 (children) of Peach Blossom Spring live in mutual peace — Tao's utopia.

usage

并 here = 'all together,' classical sense. 怡然 = serene contentment (still used today: 怡然自得).

Stroke Order

并 bìng

怡 yí

然 rán

自 zì

乐 lè