侠义 (xiá yì) — (stative verb) chivalrous, righteous in the wuxia tradition

Definition

Refers to the chivalrous code of loyalty, justice, and helping the weak — a core value in Chinese wuxia fiction. Used to describe a person's character or actions (e.g. 侠义精神, 侠义行为).

adjective
(stative verb) chivalrousrighteous in the wuxia tradition
Easily confused

Examples

  • 侠义，。
    Tā wèi rén xiá yì, jīng cháng lù jiàn bù píng bá dāo xiāng zhù.
    He is a chivalrous person who often steps up to help when he sees injustice.
  • 侠义。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō chōng mǎn le xiá yì jīng shén.
    This novel is full of the spirit of chivalry.
  • 侠义。
    Tā de xiá yì xíng wéi gǎn dòng le hěn duō rén.
    His chivalrous deeds moved many people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

侠xiáchivalry
义yìrighteousness

侠 (chivalry) specifies the kind of 义 (righteousness).

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 侠 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →

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