随心所欲
- Literal
- to follow whatever the heart desires
- Figurative
- To do exactly as you please, bound by no rules and no one else's opinion. Depending on context it sounds like enviable freedom or like self-indulgence.
Where does 随心所欲 come from?
It comes from the 《论语》, where Confucius sums up his life decade by decade: at fifteen he set his mind on learning, at thirty he stood firm, at forty he stopped wavering… and at seventy he reached “从心所欲，不逾矩”: following his heart's desire without once overstepping the line. The classical wording is 从心所欲; the common form today is 随心所欲, with the same sense. Note that modern usage kept the first half and dropped the second, the one about not overstepping — which is why the phrase can suggest either freedom or a lack of restraint.
Source (出处): 《论语·为政》
How is 随心所欲 used? Two examples
- 退休以后，他每天随心所欲，想去哪里就去哪里。
Since retiring he does whatever he likes every day and goes wherever he wants.
- 公司的钱不能随心所欲地花。
You can't spend company money however you please.
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