豪杰 (háo jié) — a heroic figure; a person of outstanding courage and talent (esp. in historical or martial arts settings)

Definition

A literary, honorific term for a heroic figure of great courage and talent, almost always used in historical or martial-arts (武侠) contexts. It refers to an entire class of such figures, more grandiose and archaic than calling one person 英雄.

noun
a heroic figurea person of outstanding courage and talent (esp. in historical or martial arts settings)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 豪杰，。
    Gǔ dài yǒu hěn duō háo jié, bǐ rú xiàng yǔ hé yuè fēi.
    There were many heroic figures in ancient times, such as Xiang Yu and Yue Fei.
  • 豪杰。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō lǐ de háo jié gè gè wǔ yì gāo qiáng.
    Every heroic figure in this novel has outstanding martial arts skills.
  • 豪杰，。
    Tā lì zhì yào chéng wéi yí dài háo jié, zhěng jiù bǎi xìng.
    He resolved to become a great heroic figure and save the people.

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.

豪háoheroic
杰jiéoutstanding

豪杰 joins 豪 'heroic' and 杰 'outstanding' to mean a heroic figure.

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
豕豕shǐpig, boar
Sound part声符shēngfú
高
高gāo豪háo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

豪 shows 豕, a pig or boar, together with 高, which gives its sound.

Open 豪 →

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 傑; 杰 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
桀
桀jié傑jié
Same sound today

The traditional form 傑 pairs 亻 (person) with 桀 as a sound part; the simplified 杰 is a later shorthand, so its current parts are not the original parts.

Open 杰 →

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