知足

zhī zú

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Adjective Uncommon

Definitions

1. content with one's situation
2. to know contentment (hence happiness)

Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

贪婪

tān lán

avaricious

知足 is being content, while 贪婪 is greed.

Related words

2 items

满意

mǎn yì

satisfied

满意 means 'satisfied', often with a result or outcome.

知足常乐

zhī zú cháng lè

satisfied with what one has (idiom)

A common saying: 'Contentment brings happiness'.

Synonyms

1 item

满足

mǎn zú

to satisfy

Both mean 'content', but 满足 can also mean 'satisfied' with something specific.

Usage notes

Common mistakes

知足 is mainly used in set phrases or describing a person's general disposition, not for temporary satisfaction with a thing (use 满意 for that).

Cultural notes

Part of the Chinese cultural value of moderation; the saying 知足常乐 reflects the Daoist and Buddhist influence of finding happiness in simplicity.

Example Sentences

1 shown

他是个知足的人，总是很快乐。

He is a content person and is always happy.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 知足

知足常乐

zhī zú cháng lè

satisfied with what one has (idiom)

Child Words of 知足

excessive

foot

to know