知足常乐

zhī zú cháng lè

  • Meaning

    Literal

    -

    Usage

    To be happy because what you already have is sufficient

  • Connotation

    Positive

  • Usage Examples

    直到我开始学会知足常乐,慢慢地,我才真正地提高了我的生活质量 | Zhídào wǒ kāishǐ xuéhuì zhīzúchánglè, màn man de, wǒ cái zhēnzhèng de tígāo le wǒ de shēnghuó zhìliàng
    It wasn't until I learned how to be content with what I already had that my quality of life improved
    [Source]

    最快乐的那些人总是会知足常乐,而不会伤怀所缺的 | Zuì kuàilè de nàxiē rén zǒng shì huì zhīzúchánglè, ér bù huì shānghuái suǒ quē de
    The happiest people are those who are happy with what they have in life and don't mourn what they lack
    [Source]

  • Equivalents

    English

    None

    Chinese

    知足者常乐 (zhī zú zhě cháng lè)

  • Entry Notes

    This is an HSK chengyu

  • Origin

    《道德经》(Dào Dé Jīng), a sacred Daoist text written by Daoism founder 老子 (Lǎo Zǐ)

  • Story

    This chengyu is from a line in the work listed in the "Origin" section above

  • Citations and Helpful Resources

    • 汉语成语小词典 (hànyǔ chéngyǔ xiǎo cídiǎn)
    • 现代汉语规范词典 (xiàndài hànyǔ guīfàn cídiǎn)
    • 多功能成语词典 (duō gōngnéng chéngyǔ cídiǎn)
    • 汉语大词典 (hànyǔ dà cídiǎn)
    • ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary
    • Pleco Basic Chinese-English Dictionary
    • 百度百科[x]