见义勇为
见义勇为 (jiàn yì yǒng wéi) literally means “see righteousness, act bravely” and expresses “courageous moral action”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: jian yi yong wei, jian yi yong wei,见义勇为 meaning, 见义勇为 in english
Courageous moral action
Pronunciation: jiàn yì yǒng wéi Literal meaning: See righteousness, act bravely
Origin & Usage
Confucius put it as a negative — to see what is right (见义) and not do it is to lack courage (无勇) — and the idiom is his sentence turned the right way up: seeing what is right and acting (为) bravely (勇) on it. The specific condition is that nothing obliges you. In modern China the phrase has a concrete legal and civic life, attached to awards and compensation schemes for bystanders injured while intervening, which is an unusually direct survival of a line from the Analects.
Examples
English: "He is known for his courage in defending those who are wronged."
Chinese: 他以见义勇为而闻名，常常为受害者辩护。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about relationships & character
大义灭亲
dà yì miè qīn
Justice over family
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舍己为人
shě jǐ wèi rén
Selflessness
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患难与共
huàn nàn yǔ gòng
Solidarity in hardship
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公而忘私
gōng ér wàng sī
Public duty crowds out private interest
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以身作则
yǐ shēn zuò zé
Lead by example
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忘恩负义
wàng ēn fù yì
Ungrateful betrayal
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天经地义
tiān jīng dì yì
Universal truth
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宁为玉碎
nìng wéi yù suì
Integrity over compromise
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 见义勇为 mean in English?
见义勇为 (jiàn yì yǒng wéi) literally translates to “See righteousness, act bravely” and is used to express “Courageous moral action”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 见义勇为 used?
Situation: He is known for his courage in defending those who are wronged.
What is the pinyin for 见义勇为?
The pinyin pronunciation for 见义勇为 is “jiàn yì yǒng wéi”.
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