# 好自为之



## Geysere

Dear all,

"好自为之" 怎么翻译成英语呢? Is there a set phrase for that?
比如: "我可是警告过你了, 你好自为之吧!"
I've seen before something like "Don't tell me I've not warned you" but it's slightly different in meaning...Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance!


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## Lamb67

freedom or authority to make judgments and to act as one sees fit (esp in the phrases *at one's own discretion, at the discretion of *

*From thefreedictionary.com on word' discretion.' *

*So your sentence : at your own discretion ! *


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## Geysere

Thanks for the suggestion!   But somehow I feel that the person who says "好自为之" has a sense of despise towards the other, and "at your own discretion" is relatively neutral... I'm not sure, correct me if I were wrong!


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## Lamb67

Yes, I agree with you. The Chinese does have a threatening tone there ! 
Perhaps that could be achieved in English by At  your OWN discretion ! too.


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## Ghabi

I'd just say "suit yourself!" with an angry tone.


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## xiaolijie

"我可是警告过你了, 你好自为之吧!" =
Haven't I warned you? You're on your own now!
("You're on your own now!" here means "Do what you can/ Do the best you can")


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## samanthalee

I can't think of a English equivalence.
It reminds me of a line from a movie.. "It's your own funeral" which doesn't have an angry tone, but could be softly threatening enough in some context.


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## Day Dreamer

I've warned (told) you not to do that again


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## kath_01

I agree with "you're on your own now"


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## Tsingtao

You can simply say "Be good".


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## Geysere

Thanks for all the suggestions! Seems that the exact wording will have to depend on the context...
再请问下说法语的朋友们, 你们觉得翻译成 "A bon entendeur, salut!" 合适么?


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## kath_01

Thought I'd bring this thread up for references:
http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=842203

looks like it's a bit cliche, and better to be translated as "別說我沒警告過你"

but the Chinese phrase 好自為之 may or may not be warning someone about an eventual problem or danger.


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## yuechu

Sorry to revive an old thread but I have a question about the pronunciation of 好自为之.
Perapera dictionary has the pronunciation hao3zi4wei2zhi1 and 百度百科 has the pronunciation hao4zi4wei2zhi1. Which pronunciation is correct?
Thanks!


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## ElGarcia

baosheng,

It is hao3. 好 is only pronounced as hao4 when used as a verb (to like/favor something) or as a noun meaning a hobby or a favored thing.


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## yuechu

Thanks again, ElGarcia!


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## Skatinginbc

Both pronunciations are correct but convey different meanings.
The original 好自爲之 means "like to do everything himself in his own way' (《淮南子·主术训》：“君人者不任能，而好自为之).  In this case, 好 reads hao4.  

好hao3自爲之 is a product of the late Qing dynasty (19th century).  When someone has been 好hao4自爲之 and you are not happy with it, you may say 好hao3自爲之 as a sarcastic remark. The example of "I have warned you" discussed by other posters falls into this category.


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## ElGarcia

Skatinginbc said:


> 《淮南子·主术训》：“君人者不任能，而好自为之



Nice quote. I should have thought of that. I guess that meaning has long been forgotten in modern Chinese though (at least in mainland). Pretty much every time I see "好自为之“ it means the meaning discussed in this thread (hao3zi4wei2zhi1). However I just checked 百度百科 it refers to the original quote. Is it still used in Taiwan?


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## Stray Tachyon

Be prepared for what comes next


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## nylg85

you'll have to take it from here.


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