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孝顺 (xiào shùn) — to show filial piety towards (one's parents or elders); to be dutiful to one's parents

Definition

孝顺 is a verb for being dutiful and caring toward one's parents and elders — a core Confucian virtue. It overlaps with 孝敬, but 孝顺 focuses on the ongoing attitude and behavior; 孝敬 adds the sense of giving gifts or material support.

verb
to show filial piety towards (one's parents or elders)to be dutiful to one's parents

Examples

  • 孝顺，。
    Tā yì zhí xiào shùn fù mǔ, cóng bú ràng tā men cāo xīn.
    He has always been filial to his parents and never lets them worry.
  • 孝顺，。
    Wǒ men yīng gāi xiào shùn zhǎng bèi, zhè shì zuò rén de jī běn dào lǐ.
    We should show filial piety to our elders; that is a basic principle of being a person.
  • 孝顺。
    xiào shùn Fù mǔ shì zhōng huá mín zú de chuán tǒng měi dé.
    Being filial to one's parents is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

孝xiàofilial
顺shùnobedient

孝 denotes filial devotion and 顺 denotes obedience, jointly describing dutiful care for parents.

Characters in this word

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

  • 耂耂lǎoan old man with long hair, bent over
  • 子子zǐa child

孝 puts 耂, an old man with long hair, bent over, above 子, a child, to show filial care between generations.

Open 孝 →

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 順; 顺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān順shùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 順 pairs 川 (river), which gives the sound, with 頁 (head); the picture is a head in a river, following the current. The simplified 顺 is a shorthand.

Open 顺 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 5Family & Kinship

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