Chinese word

顺从

Pronunciation

Pinyinshùn cóng

Meaning

  • adjectiveobedient

Example

他很顺从，总是听别人的意见。tā hěn shùn cóng zǒng shì tīng bié rén de yì jiàn

He is very obedient and always listens to other people's opinions.

Illustration for 顺从 (obedient)

More examples

孩子对规则很顺从，很少违反学校纪律。hái zi duì guī zé hěn shùn cóng hén shǎo wéi fǎn xué xiào jì lǜ

The child follows the rules obediently and rarely breaks school rules.

Core concept

A person moves along the path set by someone else, accepting that person's wishes or instructions without resistance.

Common phrases

  • 表现得顺从biǎo xiàn de shùn cóng

    act obediently

  • 对规则顺从duì guī zé shùn cóng

    obedient to the rules

  • 对父母顺从duì fù mǔ shùn cóng

    obedient to their parents

Similar words

听话tīng huà: Readily obeying an older person or leader and doing what is asked.
温顺wēn shùn: Having a calm, gentle nature and rarely resisting or acting aggressively.
乖guāi: Following instructions readily and behaving in an easy-to-manage way, especially as a child.

Definition in Chinese

对他人的意见、命令或安排不加抵触地接受并按其行事的性格或状态。duì tā rén de yì jiàn mìng lìng huò ān pái bù jiā dǐ chù dì jiē shòu bìng àn qí xíng shì de xìng gé huò zhuàng tài

Word origin

顺从 (shùncóng, "obedient") combines 顺 (shùn, "go along with") + 从 (cóng, "follow"), presenting acceptance as going along with another person's direction.

Usage tips

  • The word can sound critical when it presents yielding to another person's wishes as a lack of independence, even though the behavior itself may be peaceful.

Other meanings

  • obeyverb
  • submissionnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word