Meaning of 随意
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- as one wishes
- according to one's wishes
- at will
- voluntary
- conscious
How to use 随意
随意 is common in polite invitations and casual instructions, telling someone to relax and choose freely. It can work as an adverb before a verb or as a short reply on its own. Example: 请随意坐。(Qǐng suíyì zuò.) Please sit wherever you like.
随 (suí) means to follow, and 意 (yì) means wish or intention. 随意 is "following your own wishes," so you do something however you like.
Common mistake: Learners often treat 随意 and 随便 (suíbiàn) as identical. 随便 can sound careless or even negative, as in 他很随便 (he is sloppy), while 随意 usually sounds more relaxed and polite. Also, both syllables are fourth tone at the end of a rising start: suí is second tone, not first.
随意 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
随 suí · to follow · 11 strokes
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意 yì · thought · 13 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 随意.
| 意思 | yìsi | idea; opinion |
| 愿意 | yuànyì | to wish; to want |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎoyìsi | to feel embarrassed; to find it embarrassing |
| 随便 | suíbiàn | as one wishes; as one pleases |
| 有意思 | yǒu yìsi | interesting; meaningful |
| 随时 | suíshí | at any time; at all times; at the right time; whenever necessary |
| 意见 | yìjiàn | idea; opinion |
| 满意 | mǎnyì | satisfied; pleased |
| 故意 | gùyì | deliberately; on purpose |
| 注意 | zhùyì | to take note of; to pay attention to |
| 同意 | tóngyì | to agree; to consent |
| 主意 | zhǔyi | plan; idea |
Questions about 随意
What does 随意 mean?
随意 (suíyì) means "as one wishes; according to one's wishes".
How do you write 随意?
随意 is made of 2 characters: 随 (11 strokes), 意 (13 strokes). That is 24 strokes in total.
Is 随意 an HSK word?
Yes. 随意 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 随意 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 随意 is written 隨意.
What does 随意 mean at a Chinese dinner when someone toasts?
When someone says 我干杯，你随意 (wǒ gānbēi, nǐ suíyì), it means "I will finish my glass, you drink as much as you like." It is a courteous way to avoid pressuring the other person to drink.
Can 随意 describe a person's personality?
It can describe a relaxed, easygoing manner, as in 他穿得很随意 (he dresses casually). For calling someone careless or lacking standards, 随便 is the more natural choice.