Chinese word

随便

Pronunciation

Pinyinsuí biàn

Meaning

  • adverbwhatever

Example

你想吃什么，随便选吧。nǐ xiǎng chī shén me suí biàn xuǎn ba

Pick whatever you want to eat.

Illustration for 随便 (whatever)

More examples

这件礼物你可以随便选，不用担心。zhè jiàn lǐ wù nǐ ké yǐ suí biàn xuǎn bú yòng dān xīn

You can choose this gift freely, so don't worry.

Core concept

Letting a choice or action follow what is convenient, without a fixed preference or strict rule.

Common phrases

  • 随便选suí biàn xuǎn

    choose freely

  • 随便说suí biàn shuō

    speak freely

  • 随便问suí biàn wèn

    ask freely

Similar words

无所谓wú suǒ wèi: Expresses indifference to which choice is made or what result follows.
随意suí yì: Gives permission to do something in a person's preferred way.

Definition in Chinese

表示没有特别偏好、可以随意选择，相当于“无所谓”，常用于讨论选择时的口语副词。biǎo shì méi yǒu tè bié piān hào ké yǐ suí yì xuǎn zé xiāng dāng yú wú suǒ wèi cháng yòng yú tǎo lùn xuǎn zé shí de kóu yǔ fù cí

Word origin

随 (suí, "follow") + 便 (biàn, "convenient") gives the basic idea of letting a choice or action follow what suits the moment.

Usage tips

  • In a restaurant, this answer can hand the final decision to the other person; naming one food that is not wanted makes the meaning clear.

Other meanings

  • feel freeadverb
  • freelyadverb
  • without permissionadverb
  • carelesslyadverb
  • casualadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word