‘姑息’ is a formal, literary noun meaning ‘indulgence’ or ‘appeasement’—especially when referring to leniency toward wrongdoing out of weakness, fear, or misplaced compassion. Literally, 姑 (gū) suggests ‘for now’ or ‘temporarily’, and 息 (xī) means ‘to stop’, ‘to cease’, or ‘to rest’. Together, they evoke the idea of ‘letting something slide for the moment’ rather than confronting it decisively. Historically, it carried strong negative connotations, implying moral compromise or failure of duty—often used in political, ethical, or disciplinary contexts.

Today, ‘姑息’ appears mainly in written Chinese: editorials, historical narratives, legal commentary, or moral essays. It rarely occurs in casual speech. Unlike neutral terms like ‘tolerance’ (容忍), ‘姑息’ almost always implies criticism—it suggests enabling harmful behavior by avoiding necessary action. It’s frequently paired with words like ‘养奸’ (to nurture evil) or ‘纵容’ (to indulge recklessly), reinforcing its disapproving tone.