Chinese word

听其自然

Pronunciation

Pinyintīng qí zì rán

Meaning

  • idiomlet things take their course

Example

现在没办法，我们听其自然吧。xiàn zài méi bàn fǎ wǒ men tīng qí zì rán ba

There is nothing we can do now, so let's let things take their course.

Illustration for 听其自然 (let things take their course)

More examples

遇到他人的决定，有时我们只能选择听其自然。yù dào tā rén de jué dìng yǒu shí wǒ men zhǐ néng xuǎn zé tīng qí zì rán

When faced with other people's decisions, sometimes we can only let things take their course.

Core concept

A person stops trying to steer events and lets their natural path carry them forward.

Common phrases

  • 听其自然吧tīng qí zì rán ba

    let things take their course

  • 我们就听其自然吧wǒ men jiù tīng qí zì rán ba

    Let's just let things take their course

Similar words

顺其自然shùn qí zì rán: Letting events develop naturally instead of trying to change their course.
听天由命tīng tiān yóu mìng: Trusting fate with matters that lie beyond human control and accepting the result.

Definition in Chinese

在无法干预或短期内难以改变的情况下，接受现实，让事情按其自然过程发展。zài wú fǎ gān yù huò duǎn qī nèi nán yǐ gǎi biàn de qíng kuàng xià jiē shòu xiàn shí ràng shì qíng àn qí zì rán guò chéng fā zhǎn

Word origin

听 (tīng, "follow") + 其 (qí, "it") + 自然 (zìrán, "natural course") presents acceptance as allowing events to unfold without interference.

Usage tips

  • A sentence-final 吧 (ba, "suggestion particle") makes the idiom sound like a shared, low-pressure decision rather than a command.

Other meanings

  • go with the flowidiom

Word lists with this word