返璞归真

返璞歸真
fǎnpú-guīzhēn
idiom #55,614

Meanings

  1. 1 to return to simplicity and nature
  2. 2 to strip away ornament and reclaim the essential
  3. 3 to come back to one's true self

Examples

HSK 4
Tuìxiū hòu, tā xuǎnzé fǎnpú-guīzhēn, huídào nóngcūn shēnghuó.
After retiring, he chose to return to a simple life back in the countryside.
HSK 7-9
Zhè jiàn jiājù shèjì fǎnpú-guīzhēn, pǔsù què hěn yǒu yùnwèi.
This piece of furniture is designed in a back-to-basics style - plain but full of charm.

Tips

memory
is uncarved jade - raw, unworked. To 返璞 is to go back to the unworked stone, to 归真 is to return to authenticity. The image: undo the polishing, recover the raw essence.

Stroke Order

fǎn
guī
zhēn