自在

Chinese

		from; self; oneself from; self; oneself; since	(located) at; in; exist (located) at; in; exist; (before verbs) immediately involved in; right in the middle of doing
simp. and trad. (自在)		自	在

Pronunciation 1

Mandarin
(Pinyin): zìzài

(Zhuyin): ㄗˋ ㄗㄞˋ
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): zi⁶ zoi⁶

(Taishan, Wiktionary): di⁵ doi⁵ / di⁵ doi^5*
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): chhṳ-chhai

(Meixian, Guangdong): ci⁴ cai⁴
Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chū-chāi / chīr-chǎi

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: zìzài
  - Zhuyin: ㄗˋ ㄗㄞˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: zìhzài
  - Wade–Giles: tzŭ⁴-tsai⁴
  - Yale: dz̀-dzài
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzyhtzay
  - Palladius: цзыцзай (czyczaj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: zi⁶ zoi⁶
  - Yale: jih joih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: dzi⁶ dzoi⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: ji⁶ zoi⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡siː²² t͡sɔːi̯²²/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: di⁵ doi⁵ / di⁵ doi^5*
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ti³² tᵘɔi³²/, /ti³² tᵘɔi³²⁻³²⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhṳ-chhai
  - Hakka Romanization System: cii cai
  - Hagfa Pinyim: ci⁴ cai⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰɨ⁵⁵ t͡sʰai̯⁵⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: ci⁴ cai⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ t͡sʰaɪ⁵³/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chū-chāi
  - Tâi-lô: tsū-tsāi
  - Phofsit Daibuun: zuxzai
  - Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /t͡su²²⁻²¹ t͡sai²²/
  - Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡su³³⁻²¹ t͡sai³³/
  - Sinological IPA (Taipei): /t͡su³³⁻¹¹ t͡sai³³/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chīr-chǎi
  - Tâi-lô: tsīr-tsǎi
  - Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sɯ⁴¹⁻²² t͡sai²²/

Adverb

自在

casually; without a care in the world
活得自在 ― huó de zìzài ― to live a carefree life

Adjective

自在

free; unrestrained; comfortable; at ease
(philosophy, existentialism, phenomenology) in-itself

Synonyms

(free):

edit

享受 (xiǎngshòu)
停當 / 停当 (tíngdàng) (literary)
好受 (hǎoshòu)
安怡 (ānyí) (literary)
安逸 (ānyì)
安適 / 安适 (ānshì)
安閒 / 安闲 (ānxián)
寫意 / 写意 (xièyì) (dialectal)
得勁 / 得劲 (déjìn) (chiefly Zhongyuan Mandarin, Jilu Mandarin)
快活 (Hokkien)
恬逸 (tiányì) (literary)
敞快 (chǎngkuai)
是味 (shìwèi)
滋潤 / 滋润 (zīrùn) (colloquial)
爽快 (shuǎngkuài)
爽適 / 爽适 (sōng-sék) (Eastern Min)
舒坦
舒心 (shūxīn)
舒服
舒適 / 舒适 (shūshì)
逍遙 / 逍遥 (xiāoyáo)
適意 / 适意 (shìyì)

Antonyms

(antonym(s) of “free”): 拘束 (jūshù)
(antonym(s) of “in-itself”): 自為／自为 (zìwèi)

Derived terms

自在階級 / 自在阶级 (zìzài jiējí)
自由自在 (zìyóuzìzài)

Pronunciation 2

Mandarin
(Pinyin): zìzai

(Zhuyin): ㄗˋ ˙ㄗㄞ
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): zi⁶ zoi⁶

(Taishan, Wiktionary): di⁵ doi⁵ / di⁵ doi^5*
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): chhṳ-chhai

(Meixian, Guangdong): ci⁴ cai⁴
Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chū-chāi / chīr-chāi

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: zìzai
  - Zhuyin: ㄗˋ ˙ㄗㄞ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: zìhzåi
  - Wade–Giles: tzŭ⁴-tsai⁵
  - Yale: dz̀-dzai
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzyh.tzai
  - Palladius: цзыцзай (czyczaj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sz̩⁵¹ d͡z̥aɪ̯¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: zi⁶ zoi⁶
  - Yale: jih joih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: dzi⁶ dzoi⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: ji⁶ zoi⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡siː²² t͡sɔːi̯²²/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: di⁵ doi⁵ / di⁵ doi^5*
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ti³² tᵘɔi³²/, /ti³² tᵘɔi³²⁻³²⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhṳ-chhai
  - Hakka Romanization System: cii cai
  - Hagfa Pinyim: ci⁴ cai⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰɨ⁵⁵ t͡sʰai̯⁵⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: ci⁴ cai⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ t͡sʰaɪ⁵³/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chū-chāi
  - Tâi-lô: tsū-tsāi
  - Phofsit Daibuun: zuxzai
  - Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /t͡su²²⁻²¹ t͡sai²²/
  - Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡su³³⁻²¹ t͡sai³³/
  - Sinological IPA (Taipei): /t͡su³³⁻¹¹ t͡sai³³/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chīr-chāi
  - Tâi-lô: tsīr-tsāi
  - Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sɯ⁴¹⁻²² t͡sai⁴¹/

Adjective

自在

comfortable; carefree

Synonyms

edit

享受 (xiǎngshòu)
停當 / 停当 (tíngdàng) (literary)
好受 (hǎoshòu)
安怡 (ānyí) (literary)
安逸 (ānyì)
安適 / 安适 (ānshì)
安閒 / 安闲 (ānxián)
寫意 / 写意 (xièyì) (dialectal)
得勁 / 得劲 (déjìn) (chiefly Zhongyuan Mandarin, Jilu Mandarin)
快活 (Hokkien)
恬逸 (tiányì) (literary)
敞快 (chǎngkuai)
是味 (shìwèi)
滋潤 / 滋润 (zīrùn) (colloquial)
爽快 (shuǎngkuài)
爽適 / 爽适 (sōng-sék) (Eastern Min)
舒坦
舒心 (shūxīn)
舒服
舒適 / 舒适 (shūshì)
逍遙 / 逍遥 (xiāoyáo)
適意 / 适意 (shìyì)

Japanese

Kanji in this term
自	在
じ Grade: 2	ざい Grade: 5
on'yomi

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) じざい [jìzáí] (Heiban – [0])
IPA^(key): [d͡ʑiza̠i]

Adjective

自(じ)在(ざい) • (jizai) -na (adnominal 自(じ)在(ざい)な (jizai na), adverbial 自(じ)在(ざい)に (jizai ni))

free
flexible, adjustable, universal

Inflection

Inflection of 自在
Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	自在だろ	じざいだろ	jizai daro
Continuative (連用形)	自在で	じざいで	jizai de
Terminal (終止形)	自在だ	じざいだ	jizai da
Attributive (連体形)	自在な	じざいな	jizai na
Hypothetical (仮定形)	自在なら	じざいなら	jizai nara
Imperative (命令形)	自在であれ	じざいであれ	jizai de are
Key constructions
Informal negative	自在ではない自在じゃない	じざいではないじざいじゃない	jizai de wa nai jizai ja nai
Informal past	自在だった	じざいだった	jizai datta
Informal negative past	自在ではなかった自在じゃなかった	じざいではなかったじざいじゃなかった	jizai de wa nakatta jizai ja nakatta
Formal	自在です	じざいです	jizai desu
Formal negative	自在ではありません自在じゃありません	じざいではありませんじざいじゃありません	jizai de wa arimasen jizai ja arimasen
Formal past	自在でした	じざいでした	jizai deshita
Formal negative past	自在ではありませんでした自在じゃありませんでした	じざいではありませんでしたじざいじゃありませんでした	jizai de wa arimasen deshita jizai ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive	自在で	じざいで	jizai de
Conditional	自在なら（ば）	じざいなら（ば）	jizai nara (ba)
Provisional	自在だったら	じざいだったら	jizai dattara
Volitional	自在だろう	じざいだろう	jizai darō
Adverbial	自在に	じざいに	jizai ni
Degree	自在さ	じざいさ	jizaisa

Derived terms

自在置物(じざいおきもの) (jizaiokimono)

Noun

自(じ)在(ざい) • (jizai)

freedom
flexibility
clipping of 自在鉤 (jizaikagi, “pothook”)

References

“自在”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[1] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2026