What 擅自 means
- Unauthorized
These meanings come from the same dictionary that powers the Chinese to Pinyin translator and the Chinese to English translator, so a whole sentence containing 擅自 will read it the same way this page does.
Character by character
How to write 擅自
Stroke order is not decoration — it is what makes handwriting legible and what dictionary lookup by stroke count depends on.
Practise 擅自 on printable 田字格 sheets, trace it in the writing practice tool, or watch any other character in the Stroke Order Animator.
Sounds the same as 擅自
These are also written shanzi without tone marks. Tones and context are what keep them apart — which is why the tone is part of the word, not an accent on it.
Train the difference in the Tone Trainer or the Similar Sounds Quiz.
Questions about 擅自
What does 擅自 mean in English?
擅自 is pronounced shànzì and means Unauthorized.
How do you pronounce 擅自?
擅自 is shànzì in pinyin — written shanzi without tone marks. Press the audio button on this page to hear it spoken by a native voice.
What are the characters in 擅自?
擅自 is written with 2 characters: 擅 (shàn) Usurp (does without authority - expert - skilled), 自 (zì) Oneself (certainly - from). Knowing the parts is usually how the whole word becomes memorable.
Is 擅自 an HSK word?
Yes — 擅自 is on the official HSK 6 vocabulary list. You can study it with the rest of that list on the HSK 6 page.
Studied around the same time
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Translate a whole sentence containing 擅自 with the Chinese to Pinyin translator, study it alongside the rest of HSK 6, drill it with HSK flashcards, or save it above and review it on your review deck.
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