CHENGYU
安居乐业(ān jū lè yè)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- neutral, approving
- Source:
- 《老子》第八十章
MEANING
- Literal
- to live in peace and delight in one's work
- Figurative meaning
- to live and work in peace and contentment
ORIGIN STORY
The Laozi pictures an ideal age: "Each is content in his food, pleased with his clothes, at ease in his customs, and delights in his work." The Book of Han echoes it — the settled happiness of a people at peace.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“to live in peace and prosperity”
EXAMPLES
老百姓都希望安居乐业。Lǎobǎixìng dōu xīwàng ān jū lè yè.HSK6
Ordinary people all wish to live and work in peace.
这里治安好，人们安居乐业。Zhèlǐ zhìān hǎo, rénmen ān jū lè yè.HSK6
Order is good here, and people live and work contentedly.
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: It is the settled, contented life of a community — not personal luxury or leisure.
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01