高枕无忧
高枕无忧 (gāo zhěn wú yōu) literally means “high pillow no worry” and expresses “completely free from worry or concern”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: gao zhen wu you, gao zhen wu you,高枕无忧 meaning, 高枕无忧 in english
Completely free from worry or concern
Pronunciation: gāo zhěn wú yōu Literal meaning: High pillow no worry
Origin & Usage
Tang Dynasty poets first used this image of resting head on high pillow (高枕) without worry (无忧) to praise effective governance that allowed people to sleep soundly. Song Dynasty writers expanded it beyond political contexts to describe any circumstance enabling complete peace of mind. The physical posture of sleeping with an elevated head perfectly embodied the psychological security that allows complete vulnerability.
Examples
English: "After installing the security system, the homeowners slept without concern"
Chinese: 安装了安全系统后,房主高枕无忧地睡觉
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
融会贯通
róng huì guàn tōng
Master something completely
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一波三折
yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Love ease, hate work
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Extremes lead to reversal
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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近水楼台
jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Advantage from close connections
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 高枕无忧 mean in English?
高枕无忧 (gāo zhěn wú yōu) literally translates to “High pillow no worry” and is used to express “Completely free from worry or concern”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 高枕无忧 used?
Situation: After installing the security system, the homeowners slept without concern
What is the pinyin for 高枕无忧?
The pinyin pronunciation for 高枕无忧 is “gāo zhěn wú yōu”.
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