修身养性 (xiū shēn yǎng xìng) — to cultivate one's moral character and nurture one's nature; self-cultivation in conduct and spirit

Definition

A formal chengyu for moral self-cultivation — refining one's conduct (修身) and inner character (养性) through study, reflection, and discipline.

idiom
to cultivate one's moral character and nurture one's natureself-cultivation in conduct and spirit

Examples

  • 修身养性。
    Tā měi tiān tōng guò dú shū lái xiū shēn yǎng xìng.
    He cultivates himself through reading every day.
  • 修身养性。
    Xué xí xiū shēn yǎng xìng kě yǐ bāng zhù wǒ men tí gāo dào dé xiū yǎng.
    Learning self-cultivation can help us improve our moral character.
  • 修身养性。
    Gǔ rén fēi cháng zhòng shì xiū shēn yǎng xìng.
    Ancient people placed great importance on self-cultivation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

修身cultivate oneself
修xiūcultivate身shēnself
动宾Verb + object
养性nurture nature
养yǎngnurture性xìngnature
动宾Verb + object

'修身' means cultivating oneself and '养性' means nurturing one's nature, so the phrase speaks of self-cultivation.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
攸
攸yōu修xiū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

修 is built from 攸, which gives the sound, and 彡, a set of three strokes that shows the meaning.

Open 修 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 身 comes from a drawing of a pregnant woman.

Open 身 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 養; 养 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 養 uses 羊 as a sound part and 食 as a meaning part.

Open 养 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng性xìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

Open 性 →

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