返璞归真
返璞归真 (fǎn pú guī zhēn) literally means “return to simplicity and truth” and expresses “embrace authenticity”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: fan pu gui zhen, fan pu gui zhen,返璞归真 meaning, 返璞归真 in english
Embrace authenticity
Pronunciation: fǎn pú guī zhēn Literal meaning: Return to simplicity and truth
Origin & Usage
In the Strategies of the Warring States the scholar Yan Chu turns down a king's patronage and takes his leave, and the chapter closes with a verdict on him rather than a speech by him: 归真反璞，则终身不辱 — go back (归) to what is genuine (真) and return (返) to the uncarved jade (璞), and you will not be disgraced as long as you live. The modern idiom reverses the two halves. The image is a stone before the carver has reached it, valuable precisely because nothing has been done to it, and it is a different story from the famous jade of Bian He, with which it gets confused. It names the stripping away of affectation to recover an original plainness, in a person, a style or a way of living.
Examples
English: "He decided to leave the corporate world behind and embrace a simpler lifestyle."
Chinese: 他决定放弃企业生活，回归简单的生活方式。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
满载而归
mǎn zài ér guī
Return with rich rewards
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弄假成真
nòng jiǎ chéng zhēn
Reality from pretense
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积重难返
jī zhòng nán fǎn
Entrenched practice resists reversal
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返老还童
fǎn lǎo huán tóng
Regain vitality
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风月无边
fēng yuè wú biān
Boundless natural beauty and romance
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披星戴月
pī xīng dài yuè
Work day and night
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安步当车
ān bù dàng chē
Choose simpler pleasures over status displays
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安然无恙
ān rán wú yàng
Completely safe and unharmed through danger
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 返璞归真 mean in English?
返璞归真 (fǎn pú guī zhēn) literally translates to “Return to simplicity and truth” and is used to express “Embrace authenticity”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 返璞归真 used?
Situation: He decided to leave the corporate world behind and embrace a simpler lifestyle.
What is the pinyin for 返璞归真?
The pinyin pronunciation for 返璞归真 is “fǎn pú guī zhēn”.