好自為之

好自為之

Chinese

		good; well; be fond of	from; self; oneself from; self; oneself; since	because of; for; to because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become	's; him/her/it; this
trad. (好自為之/好自爲之)		好	自	為/爲	之
simp. (好自为之)		好	自	为	之
alternative forms		耗子尾汁 slang

Etymology

Initially from Huainanzi – see quote below.

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): hàozìwéizhī

  (Zhuyin): ㄏㄠˋ ㄗˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄓ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): hou³ zi⁶ wai⁴ zi¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: hàozìwéizhī
    • Zhuyin: ㄏㄠˋ ㄗˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄓ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: hàozìhwéijhih
    • Wade–Giles: hao⁴-tzŭ⁴-wei²-chih¹
    • Yale: hàu-dz̀-wéi-jr̄
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: hawtzyhweijy
    • Palladius: хаоцзывэйчжи (xaoczyvɛjčži)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹ weɪ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: hou³ zi⁶ wai⁴ zi¹
    • Yale: hou jih wàih jī
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hou³ dzi⁶ wai⁴ dzi¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: hou³ ji⁶ wei⁴ ji¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hou̯³³ t͡siː²² wɐi̯²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵/

Idiom

好自為之

1. (original meaning, literary, archaic) to like to do everything him/herself in one's own way

   • 君人者不任能而好自為之，則智日困而自負其責也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     君人者不任能而好自为之，则智日困而自负其责也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Huainanzi, 2^nd century BCE

     Jūn rén zhě bù rèn néng ér hào zì wéi zhī, zé zhì rì kùn ér zì fù qí zé yě. [Pinyin]

     If the monarch does not appoint the capable but rather likes to handle the matters by himself, his intelligence will be increasingly exhausted and he will bear the consequences himself.

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): hǎozìwéizhī

  (Zhuyin): ㄏㄠˇ ㄗˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄓ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): hou² zi⁶ wai⁴ zi¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: hǎozìwéizhī
    • Zhuyin: ㄏㄠˇ ㄗˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄓ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: hǎozìhwéijhih
    • Wade–Giles: hao³-tzŭ⁴-wei²-chih¹
    • Yale: hǎu-dz̀-wéi-jr̄
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: haotzyhweijy
    • Palladius: хаоцзывэйчжи (xaoczyvɛjčži)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ t͡sz̩⁵¹ weɪ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: hou² zi⁶ wai⁴ zi¹
    • Yale: hóu jih wàih jī
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hou² dzi⁶ wai⁴ dzi¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: hou² ji⁶ wei⁴ ji¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hou̯³⁵ t͡siː²² wɐi̯²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵/

Idiom

好自為之

1. (early modern, now rare) to do one's best; to endeavour to do something
2. (more common meaning nowadays, as a threat or admonition, derogatory) [You] better behave yourself, otherwise [you] will be in trouble! / You better watch out for yourself! You have been warned!