随身

• Pinyin: suí shēn
• Hanzi breakdown: 随 = to follow, accompany; 身 = a pictograph of a person — something accompanying or attached to the body

Meaning

Carried on one's person; kept with oneself at all times; portable; always present with the bearer.

Describes items that one keeps close to one's body or takes along wherever one goes. Common collocations: 随身携带 (to carry on one's person), 随身物品 (personal belongings), 随身行李 (carry-on luggage), 随身听 (portable audio player/Walkman). Can also describe a person or thing that always accompanies someone.

Examples

1. 出行时养成随身携带身份证件的习惯至关重要，尤其是在购票乘车、办理入住或遭遇突发状况时，证件往往是最关键的证明材料。 When traveling, it’s essential to develop the habit of carrying identification with you, especially when buying tickets, checking in, or facing unexpected situations—ID is often the most critical proof.
2. 这款专为商务出行设计的随身充电器体积小巧、容量充足，能够在没有固定电源的情况下为多台设备提供稳定的续航支持。 Designed for business travel, this portable charger is compact but high-capacity, providing reliable power for multiple devices even when there’s no fixed outlet available.
3. 他把那本写满思考与灵感的笔记本视为最重要的随身物品，无论走到哪里都会将其放入包中，随时记录转瞬即逝的想法。 He considered that notebook filled with his thoughts and flashes of inspiration his most important everyday carry; wherever he went, he put it in his bag to capture ideas before they vanished.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, daily life, technology, personal items

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 航空公司规定乘客随身携带的液体物品每件容量不得超过一百毫升，且须统一放入透明密封袋中通过安全检查。(Airlines stipulate that liquid items carried on one's person by passengers must not exceed one hundred millilitres per item and must be placed in a transparent sealed bag to pass through the security check.)
• 她习惯随身带着一个小型急救包，里面备有常用药物和简单的急救器材，以便在突发状况下能够及时提供基本的应急处置。(She keeps a small first-aid kit on her person at all times, stocked with common medications and basic emergency supplies so that she can provide prompt basic emergency care in the event of a sudden situation.)

Don't Say

• 随身 修饰的是被携带或随行之物，不用于形容固定安置于某处的物品 — 描述常备但不随身携带的物品时，用 常备、备用 或 存放于 更为准确

Origin & History

随 (to follow, to accompany) + 身 (body, person) — something that follows the body, kept on one's person

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal