気きの向むくままに

Meanings

as one pleases; on a whim; following one's fancy

Describes acting spontaneously without a fixed plan, driven by one's mood or inclination. Often used in literary or reflective contexts.

休きゅう日じつは気きの向むくままに散さん歩ぽするのが好すきだ。
On my days off, I like to take a walk wherever my fancy leads me.
彼かれは気きの向むくままに絵えを描かき始はじめた。
He started painting on a whim.

Usage patterns

気きの向むくままに〈動どう詞し〉to do something on a whim, following one's mood
休やすみの日ひは気きの向むくままに散さん歩ぽすることが多おおい。
On days off, I often just go for a walk wherever my mood takes me.
気きの向むくままに生いきるto live following one's fancy, without fixed plans
彼かれは会かい社しゃを辞やめて、気きの向むくままに生いきることにした。
He quit his job and decided to live just as he pleased.
気きの向むくままに旅たびをするto travel wherever one's mood leads, with no fixed itinerary
計けい画かくを立たてず、気きの向むくままに旅たびをするのが好すきだ。
I like traveling without any plans, just going wherever the mood takes me.

Kanji

気spirit, mind, air
向yonder, facing, beyond
侭as it is, because

Related words

気きままN1
気まま describes a self-indulgent, do-as-one-likes personality or attitude, while 気の向くままに describes the spontaneous act of following a passing mood without any negative connotation.
思おもいのまま
思いのまま means acting according to one's strong wish or will, whereas 気の向くままに means acting on a fleeting whim rather than a deliberate desire.
自じ由ゆうに
自由に is the general word for doing something freely or without restriction, while 気の向くままに specifically emphasizes drifting along with one's mood at the moment.

Built from

気き+向むく

Written forms

気きの向むくままに
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
気きの向むく侭ままに
Uses the rare ateji 侭 for まま; rarely encountered in modern writing.

Etymology

A set phrase composed of 気 (mind/mood), の (possessive particle), 向く (to turn toward/be inclined), and ままに (as it is/according to). Literally 'as the mind turns,' it has been used since at least the Edo period to mean acting on a whim.