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英雄主义 (yīng xióng zhǔ yì) — heroism; obsessive preoccupation with playing the hero

Definition

Culturally loaded term for "heroism" — noble self-sacrifice, but also carries a critical sense of "hero complex" or excessive self-idealization when paired with words like 个人 or 过度.

noun
heroismobsessive preoccupation with playing the hero

Examples

  • 英雄主义。
    Tā de xíng wéi chōng mǎn le gè rén yīng xióng zhǔ yì.
    His actions are full of personal heroism.
  • 英雄主义。
    Wén xué zuò pǐn zhōng de yīng xióng zhǔ yì cháng cháng gǎn dòng dú zhě.
    Heroism in literary works often moves readers.
  • 英雄主义。
    Guò dù zhuī qiú yīng xióng zhǔ yì fǎn ér huì ràng rén tuō lí xiàn shí.
    Excessive pursuit of heroism may alienate one from reality.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

英雄hero
英yīngoutstanding雄xióngheroic
联合Coordinate
主义ism
主zhǔ义yì

英雄 names heroes, and 主义 gives the sense of an outlook or doctrine.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
央
央yāng英yīng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

英 pairs 艹 (grass) with 央, which gives the sound.

Open 英 →

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
隹隹zhuī
Sound part声符shēngfú
厷
厷gōng雄xióng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

雄 is formed by putting 隹 together with 厷, with 厷 giving the character's sound.

Open 雄 →

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

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsPersonality & Traits

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