自由 (zìyóu)

自由 means freedom or liberty -- the state of being able to act, think, or move without constraint. As an adjective it describes something or someone that is free, unrestricted, or unconstrained.

Meanings

[noun] freedom; liberty
[adjective] free; unrestricted; at liberty

Example Sentences

言论自由是民主社会的基本权利之一，但也需要在法律框架内行使。 Yánlùn zìyóu shì mínzhǔ shèhuì de jīběn quánlì zhī yī, dàn yě xūyào zài fǎlǜ kuàngjià nèi xíngshǐ. Freedom of speech is one of the fundamental rights of a democratic society, but it must also be exercised within a legal framework.

旅行让她感受到了从未有过的自由，可以随心所欲地探索世界。 Lǚxíng ràng tā gǎnshòu dàole cóng wèi yǒuguò de zìyóu, kěyǐ suí xīn suǒ yù de tànsuǒ shìjiè. Travel gave her a sense of freedom she had never experienced before, allowing her to explore the world as she pleased.

在自由市场经济中，价格由供需关系自由决定，不受政府干预。 Zài zìyóu shìchǎng jīngjì zhōng, jiàgé yóu gōng xū guānxi zìyóu juédìng, bù shòu zhèngfǔ gānyù. In a free market economy, prices are freely determined by supply and demand without government intervention.

学生有自由选择选修课程的权利，可以根据个人兴趣和职业规划做出选择。 Xuéshēng yǒu zìyóu xuǎnzé xuǎnxiū kèchéng de quánlì, kěyǐ gēnjù gèrén xìngqù hé zhíyè guīhuà zuòchū xuǎnzé. Students have the freedom to choose elective courses and can make their choices based on personal interests and career planning.

新闻自由是衡量一个国家民主发展程度的重要指标。 Xīnwén zìyóu shì héngliáng yī gè guójiā mínzhǔ fāzhǎn chéngdù de zhòngyào zhǐbiāo. Press freedom is an important indicator for measuring the degree of democratic development in a country.

她终于从那段痛苦的关系中解脱出来，重新获得了精神上的自由。 Tā zhōngyú cóng nà duàn tòngkǔ de guānxì zhōng jiětuō chūlái, chóngxīn huòdéle jīngshén shàng de zìyóu. She finally freed herself from that painful relationship and regained her spiritual freedom.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
言论自由	freedom of speech
新闻自由	press freedom
自由市场	free market
自由贸易	free trade
人身自由	personal freedom; freedom of person
自由选择	free choice; freedom to choose

Usage Notes

自由 is a high-frequency word that spans everyday and formal discourse. As a noun it pairs with many abstract concepts: 思想自由 (freedom of thought), 宗教自由 (religious freedom). As an adjective it modifies nouns: 自由时间 (free time), 自由竞争 (free competition).

Note that 自由 as "free time" (我今天有两个小时的自由时间) is more colloquial and different from 自由 as "liberty" or "freedom" in political contexts. Context determines which meaning is intended.

Memory Hook

自 (self) + 由 (follow/from/reason) -- following from yourself, acting by your own reason: freedom.