Definition
泰然自若 is a four-character idiom (成语) meaning to stay calm and composed in a crisis or stressful situation — the exact opposite of panicking. You can use it as a predicate (他泰然自若), an adverbial (泰然自若地应对), or a complement (表现得泰然自若). The literal breakdown — 泰然 'calmly' + 自若 'as usual' — captures the idea of remaining unshaken when others are flustered.
f.e.
calm and composed under pressureself-possessed in a crisis
Examples
- ，泰然自若，。Miànduì tūrúqílái de shìgù, tā jìngrán tài rán zì ruò, cóngróng zhǐhuī dàjiā chèlí.Faced with the sudden accident, he remained calm and composed, calmly directing everyone to evacuate.
- ，泰然自若。Miànshì shí miànshìguān gùyì diāonàn, tā què tài rán zì ruò de yī yī zuòdá.During the interview, the interviewer deliberately made things difficult, but she answered each question calmly and composedly.
- ，泰然自若，。Zài biànlùn bǐsài zhōng, tā shǐzhōng tài rán zì ruò, méiyǒu yīnwèi duìshǒu de zhuīwèn ér huāngluàn.In the debate competition, he stayed calm and composed throughout, never flustered by the opponent's probing questions.
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