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助人为乐 (zhù rén wéi lè) — (idiom) to take pleasure in helping others; altruistic joy

Definition

An idiom meaning to find genuine joy in helping others — a virtue highlighted in moral and educational contexts. Note the 为 here is read wéi ('to make, regard as'), not wèi ('for').

idiom
to take pleasure in helping othersaltruistic joy

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù yǒu zhù rén wéi lè de jīng shén, dà jiā dōu xǐ huan tā.
    He has had the spirit of finding joy in helping others since childhood; everyone likes him.
  • 助人为乐，。
    zhù rén wéi lè Shì yì zhǒng měi dé, zhí dé wǒ men xué xí.
    Taking pleasure in helping others is a virtue worth learning from.
  • 助人为乐，。
    Zhè wèi zhì yuàn zhě zhù rén wéi lè, cóng bú jì jiào huí bào.
    This volunteer finds joy in helping others and never cares about rewards.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

助人
助zhùhelp人rénpeople
动宾Verb + object
为乐
为wèitake as乐lèjoy
动宾Verb + object

The idea joins 助人, helping people, with 为乐, taking it as joy.

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
力力lìstrong arm
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě助zhù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

助 pairs 力, a strong arm, with 且, which gives the sound; the meaning is help with strength.

Open 助 →

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樂; 乐 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 樂, 絲 (string) with 木 (wood) shows strings on a piece of wood, a musical instrument; the simplified 乐 is a later shorthand.

Open 乐 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesPersonality & Traits

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