Definition
任性 (rèn xìng) describes someone who acts on personal whim, indulging their own desires regardless of reason or others' feelings — it's willful and self-centered. Unlike 顽固 (stubbornly sticking to opinions) or 鲁莽 (acting recklessly without thought), 任性 focuses on doing what one pleases in the moment. It's often used for childish or spoiled behavior.
adjective
willfulheadstrongunruly (acting on impulse or personal whim regardless of reason or consequences)
Easily confused
- 人性rén xìngsound-alikehuman nature
- 韧性rèn xìngsound-aliketoughness (of materials, e.g., metal, ceramic)
Examples
- 任性，。Tā zuò shì tài rén xìng, bú gù biérén de gǎnshòu.He acts too willfully, disregarding others' feelings.
- 任性，。Wǒ zhīdào zìjǐ yǒudiǎn rén xìng, dàn jiù shì xiǎng zhème zuò.I know I'm a bit headstrong, but I just want to do it this way.
- 任性，。Nǐ zài zhème rén xìng xiàqù, méi rén yuànyì bāng nǐ le.If you keep being this unruly, no one will want to help you.
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