📖 Meaning
To accept one's circumstances with equanimity and entrust the outcome to fate. It reflects a fatalistic outlook on life in which a person takes comfort in whatever lot destiny assigns rather than struggling against it. The phrase is synonymous with 乐天知命, emphasizing serene acceptance of both fortune and misfortune.
📜 Origin Story
This particular wording has no recorded origin or classical source (出处: 无). It is a variant form of 乐天知命, the spirit of which traces back to the Book of Changes (《周易·系辞上》): '乐天知命，故不忧' (one who delights in heaven and knows fate is therefore without worry). Over time the phrasing circulated in literary and colloquial usage as a compound expression of fatalistic contentment. It describes a resigned yet peaceful attitude toward the vicissitudes of life.
💡 Example Usage
他一生乐天安命，从不与人争名夺利。
All his life he accepted his lot with contentment and never fought others for fame or gain.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 乐天安命
- Pinyin: lè tiān ān mìng
- Literal Translation: delight in heaven, be content with fate
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4