擅自

• Pinyin: shàn zì
• Hanzi breakdown: 擅 = 扌(hand radical) + 亶 (phonetic shàn, meaning to monopolise/be in charge) = to act unilaterally as master; 自 = pictograph of a nose = self/oneself — 擅自: acting as sole authority without approval

Meaning

Without permission or authorisation; acting on one's own initiative in a manner that violates established rules, authority, or agreed procedures.

Always implies a breach of protocol or authority. Common in formal, legal, and workplace contexts: 擅自离岗 (leave one's post without authorisation), 擅自修改 (modify without permission), 擅自转让 (transfer without approval). Carries a clear tone of disapproval or violation. Antonyms: 经批准 (with approval), 奉命 (under orders).

Examples

1. 该公司员工擅自将客户的个人数据出售给竞争对手，此举不仅严重违反了保密协议，也触犯了数据保护相关法律法规，面临高额罚款与刑事追诉。 An employee at the company illegally sold customers’ personal data to a competitor; this not only seriously violated the confidentiality agreement but also broke data protection laws and regulations, exposing them to huge fines and even criminal prosecution.
2. 施工单位在未获主管部门审批的情况下擅自改变建筑结构设计，导致楼体出现安全隐患，最终被叫停施工并要求限期整改。 Without approval from the supervising authority, the contractor changed the building’s structural design on their own, creating safety hazards; the project was ultimately halted and ordered to be corrected within a deadline.
3. 学术委员会严肃指出，研究人员不得擅自将处于成果保密期内的科研数据公开发表，违者将面临取消项目资格并追究法律责任的双重处置。 The academic committee stated sternly that researchers must not publish research data that is still under a confidentiality period without authorization; violators will face both cancellation of project eligibility and legal liability.

Usage Guide

Context: law, workplace, government, academic institutions

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 合同规定，承包商不得擅自将项目转包给未经书面批准的第三方，否则甲方可解除合同。(The contract states that the contractor may not subcontract the project to any third party without written approval; otherwise, the client may terminate the contract.)
• 军事纪律规定严禁士兵擅自脱离指定岗位，无论情况多么紧急，均须通过规定的指挥程序请示上级并获得批准后方可行动。(Military discipline strictly prohibits soldiers from leaving their designated posts without authorisation; no matter how urgent the circumstances, all actions must be requested through proper command procedures and approved by superiors before proceeding.)

Don't Say

• 他擅自地去了 — 擅自 is already an adverb and does not take the structural particle 地 before a verb; say 他擅自离开了 directly

Origin & History

擅 = 扌(hand radical) + 亶 (phonetic shàn, meaning to be in charge/ample) = to act as sole master; 自 = pictograph of a nose = self/oneself — 擅自 = to act as the sole authority over oneself, bypassing proper authorisation

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal