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恣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
恣zìindulgent; unrestrainedzg, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #57624, Very Hard
恣zìto abandon restraintunknown, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #57624, Very Hard
恣zìto do as one pleasesunknown, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #57624, Very Hard
恣zìcomfortable (dialect)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #57624, Very Hard
zì(zi4)zi T4
  1. 1indulgent; unrestrained
  2. 2to abandon restraint
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March 24, 2026

恣zì(zi4)

The character 恣 (zì) describes a state of indulgence or lack of restraint, often implying doing something freely or without limits. It can be used in contexts where someone acts according to their desires or whims, highlighting a sense of comfort or abandon in their actions.

Strokes10Radical心Frequency#57624DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

The concept of indulgence is significant in various aspects of Chinese culture, especially during festivals where people allow themselves to enjoy food and festivities without restraint, reflecting a communal sense of joy and celebration.

Memory tip

Imagine a person sitting comfortably on a couch, surrounded by snacks, doing whatever they please without worrying about rules. The radical 心 (heart) suggests emotions and feelings, and the rest of the character signifies 'freedom' or 'indulgence'—making 'zì' sound like 'sit' in a relaxed manner.

Meanings of 恣

zì(zi4)
1indulgent; unrestrained
2to abandon restraint
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 恣 means.

About 恣

恣Simplified
10Strokes
心Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 恣

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Podcast: 恣

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AI study notes for 恣

Quick Contrast

恣 (zì) vs 放纵 (fàngzòng) — use 恣 for a more poetic or literary tone of indulgence, while 放纵 is more commonly used in everyday language.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 恣 with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. It is generally used in more formal or literary contexts, so it may not be appropriate for casual conversation. Common collocations include 恣意 (zìyì, to act freely) and 恣笑 (zìxiào, to laugh freely).

HSK Study Tips

Although 恣 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects well to HSK Level 5 words related to freedom and personal expression. Students should focus on understanding its nuances in different contexts, especially with collocations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 恣 with 自 (zì), which means 'self' or 'oneself.' For example, saying '我恣做决定' (Wǒ zì zuò juédìng) instead of '我自己做决定' (Wǒ zìjǐ zuò juédìng) can lead to misunderstanding.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 恣

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Etymology of 恣

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 次 represents the sound.

Memory hint

heart

Semantic (meaning)心
+
Phonetic (sound)次
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

恣 = 心 + 次. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 恣

IDS Structure⿱次心
恣Full character
=
次ci4
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 恣?

How to say indulgent; unrestrained in Chinese

“indulgent; unrestrained” in Chinese is恣zì

The character 恣 (zì) describes a state of indulgence or lack of restraint, often implying doing something freely or without limits. It can be used in contexts where someone acts according to their desires or whims, highlighting a sense of comfort or abandon in their actions.

When to use 恣

Be careful not to confuse 恣 with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. It is generally used in more formal or literary contexts, so it may not be appropriate for casual conversation. Common collocations include 恣意 (zìyì, to act freely) and 恣笑 (zìxiào, to laugh freely).

恣 or something close to it

恣 (zì) vs 放纵 (fàngzòng) — use 恣 for a more poetic or literary tone of indulgence, while 放纵 is more commonly used in everyday language.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 恣 with 自 (zì), which means 'self' or 'oneself.' For example, saying '我恣做决定' (Wǒ zì zuò juédìng) instead of '我自己做决定' (Wǒ zìjǐ zuò juédìng) can lead to misunderstanding.

Write 恣

恣

Practice writing 恣 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 恣

恣 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他的池塘里长满了____意蔓生的杂草。

His pond has been choked by the fast-growing weed.

Example sentences for 恣 (1)

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1
他的池塘里长满了恣意蔓生的杂草。

tā de chítáng lǐ cháng mǎn le zì yì mán shēng de zá cǎo。

His pond has been choked by the fast-growing weed.

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Word Family of 恣

Words containing this character6
恣意unbridled
恣zìto abandon restraint
恣意妄为to behave unscrupulously恣意妄為
恣肆unrestrained
恣情wanton or willful
恣行无忌to behave recklessly恣行無忌
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 恣

What does 恣意 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 恣

In everyday conversation, 恣 is less common, but it conveys a sense of freedom or indulgence, often in more formal or literary contexts.

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