Chinese Conversation · Level 81
91 words
Chinese word
咎由自取
Pronunciation
Pinyinjiù yóu zì qǔ
Meaning
- idiombring it on oneself
Example
他骗了别人，最后咎由自取。tā piàn le bié rén zuì hòu jiù yóu zì qǔ
He deceived others and, in the end, brought it on himself.
More examples
你明知道会迟到还不早点出门，迟到被批评也是咎由自取。nǐ míng zhī dào huì chí dào hái bù záo diǎn chū mén chí dào bèi pī píng yě shì jiù yóu zì qǔ
You knew you would be late but still did not leave early, so being criticized for being late is something you brought on yourself.
Core concept
A chain of consequences turns back on the person whose own fault starts it.
Similar words
自作自受zì zuò zì shòu: Describes receiving the consequences of one's own actions.
自食其果zì shí qí guǒ: Presents the results of one's actions as something one must bear.
活该huó gāi: Says that a person's bad outcome is only to be expected from what that person did.
Definition in Chinese
形容因个人的行为或过错而招致不良后果或惩罚，强调行为与后果的因果关系，相当于自作自受。xíng róng yīn gè rén de xíng wéi huò guò cuò ér zhāo zhì bù liáng hòu guǒ huò chéng fá qiáng diào xíng wéi yǔ hòu guǒ de yīn guǒ guān xì xiāng dāng yú zì zuò zì shòu
Word origin
咎 (jiù, "fault") + 由 (yóu, "come from") + 自 (zì, "self") + 取 (qǔ, "take") builds the idea that a person's own fault is the source of the consequences that person receives.
Usage tips
- In everyday conversation, this idiom sounds accusatory and somewhat formal, so it fits criticism or serious comment better than light talk.
Other meanings
- get what one deservesidiom
- what goes around comes aroundidiom