身不由己 shēn bù yóu jǐ

DEFINITIONS

  1. without the freedom to act independently (idiom); involuntary
  2. not of one's own volition
  3. in spite of oneself

CHARACTERS

身 shēn
HSK 2
body; trunk, hull; rad. no. 158
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
由 yóu
HSK 4
cause, reason; from
己 jǐ
HSK 3
self, oneself; personal, private; 6th heavenly stem