📖 Meaning
To resign oneself to fate and let things take their natural course without making any proactive effort. It describes a passive attitude of accepting whatever outcome destiny brings rather than taking initiative to change one's situation.
📜 Origin Story
This phrase appears in 'Lao Can Youji Xuji' (The Travels of Lao Can, Sequel), Chapter 2, a novel by Liu E of the Qing Dynasty. In the passage, a character resignedly declares that whether one lives or dies should be left to the will of heaven and fate. The expression reflects a traditional fatalistic worldview, influenced by Daoist philosophy, that one should accept destiny without resistance. It has since become a common phrase for describing a passive, non-interventionist attitude toward life's uncertainties.
💡 Example Usage
遇到困难就听天由命，不是解决问题的好办法。
Resigning yourself to fate when facing difficulties is not a good way to solve problems.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 听天由命
- Pinyin: tīng tiān yóu mìng
- Literal Translation: listen, heaven, follow, fate
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4