Abstract:Leisure is an ancient dream of humanity. The etymology study of the word “leisure” can be traced back to the pre-Qin Dynasty, ancient Greece and ancient Rome. In pre-Qin Chinese,“rest” means people leaning against wood to alleviate fatigue; people enjoy the “leisure” in the “rest” state, purifying the mind. In the West, the word “leisure” is first derived from the ancient Greek “σχολη'”, which mainly refers to learning, education, discussion and other activities. The English word “leisure” comes from the ancient Latin word “licēre”, which means the legal and the allowed. The meaning of the modern English word “leisure” should be a combination of the ancient Latin “licēre” and the ancient Greek “σχολη'” . Whether in the pre-Qin Dynasty or ancient Greece and ancient Rome, “leisure” is not vulgar activities. Instead, it reflects a life paradigm which goes with regularity, morality and happiness.