人在江湖，身不由己 rén zài jiāng hú ， shēn bù yóu jǐ

you can't always do as you like

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. you can't always do as you like
  2. 2. one has to compromise in this world (idiom)

Characters

Character Meaning
人 rén HSK 1
person; people; man
在 zài HSK 1
(located) at; (to be) in
江 jiāng HSK 4
river; surname Jiang
湖 hú HSK 6
lake
身 shēn HSK 2
body; oneself; personally
不 bù HSK 1
not; no; (negative prefix)
由 yóu HSK 4
from; because of; due to
己 jǐ HSK 3
self; oneself