节操 (jié cāo) — moral integrity; principled conduct (especially in the face of temptation or pressure)

Definition

A formal, written noun meaning a person's moral integrity — holding firm to principles under pressure. Pairs with 坚守 or 重视; losing it (没有节操) means acting against conscience, often under temptation.

noun
moral integrityprincipled conduct (especially in the face of temptation or pressure)

Examples

  • ，节操。
    Zài jù dà de yòu huò miàn qián, tā yī rán jiān shǒu zì jǐ de jié cāo.
    In the face of great temptation, he still held onto his moral integrity.
  • 节操，。
    Yí gè rén rú guǒ méi yǒu jié cāo, jiù hěn róng yì zuò chū wéi bèi liáng xīn de shì.
    If a person has no moral integrity, they can easily do things that go against their conscience.
  • ，节操，。
    Zài gǔ dài, wén rén fēi cháng zhòng shì jié cāo, nìng kě è sǐ yě bù tóu xiáng.
    In ancient times, literati valued moral integrity highly; they would rather starve than surrender.

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.

节jiéintegrity
操cāoconduct

节 and 操, meaning integrity and conduct, combine to mean moral uprightness.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 節; 节 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺮Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
即
即jí節jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 節 pairs ⺮ (bamboo) with 即, which gives the sound; the bamboo part points to a node of bamboo. The simplified 节 is a later abbreviation.

Open 节 →

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
喿
喿zào操cāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 手 shows a hand, indicating an action done by hand. The right part 喿 gives the sound.

Open 操 →

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