怡然自得

yírán-zìdé

idiom HSK 7-9 #41,019

Meanings

Literally 'joyfully self-satisfied' - finding contentment from within, needing nothing else.

HSK 4

爷爷在院子里怡然自得地喝着茶。

Yéye zài yuànzi lǐ yíránzìdé de hē zhe chá.

Grandpa was contentedly drinking tea in the courtyard.

HSK 5

他退休后过着怡然自得的生活。

Tā tuìxiū hòu guò zhe yíránzìdé de shēnghuó.

After retiring, he lives a perfectly contented life.

history

This idiom comes from 陶渊明's famous essay 《五柳先生传》, describing a recluse scholar perfectly content in his simple, carefree lifestyle - a Daoist ideal.

怡 yí

然 rán

自 zì

得 de