容忍

• Pinyin: róng rěn
• Hanzi breakdown: 容 = 宀 + 谷 (shelter = permit/hold); 忍 = 刃 + 心 (blade over heart = to endure with restraint)

Meaning

To tolerate; to endure; to put up with. To accept something unpleasant, unfair, or offensive without reacting strongly.

Carries a connotation of effort and restraint, often implying that the tolerance is difficult or unwilling. Used in personal relationships, social commentary, and political contexts. Different from 宽容, which implies a forgiving and magnanimous attitude; 容忍 suggests bearing something reluctantly or under constraint.

Examples

1. 面对同事的无理指责，他强忍心中的怒火，选择沉默以对。 Faced with a coworker’s unreasonable accusations, he swallowed his anger and chose to respond with silence.
2. 社会公众对腐败行为的容忍度正在逐年下降，监督意识日益增强。 The public’s tolerance for corruption has been declining year by year, and awareness of oversight is steadily growing.
3. 她无法继续容忍这种长期存在的不公平待遇，最终下定决心辞职离开。 She could no longer tolerate this long-standing unfair treatment and finally made up her mind to resign and leave.

Usage Guide

Context: personal relationships, social commentary, law

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 在职场环境中，容忍一定程度的压力与挑战是专业素养的重要体现。(In the workplace, tolerating a certain degree of pressure and challenge is an important expression of professionalism.)
• 法律明确规定，任何形式的歧视行为均不容忍，违者将受到严肃处理。(The law clearly stipulates that no form of discriminatory behaviour will be tolerated and violators will be dealt with seriously.)

Don't Say

• 我容忍了一顿不好吃的饭 — 容忍 implies significant moral or emotional effort; use 将就了 or 忍了 for minor everyday compromises

Origin & History

容 (to contain/allow) + 忍 (to endure/bear with restraint)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal