责无旁贷 (zé wú páng dài) — to be duty-bound; to have an unshirkable responsibility

Definition

A formal idiom meaning a duty one cannot shift to anyone else. Used in writing or speeches to stress moral obligation — stronger and more rhetorical than plain 责任.

idiom
to be duty-boundto have an unshirkable responsibility

Examples

  • ，责无旁贷。
    Bǎo hù huán jìng, rén rén zé wú páng dài.
    Protecting the environment is everyone's unshirkable responsibility.
  • ，责无旁贷。
    Zuò wéi yī shēng, jiù sǐ fú shāng shì zé wú páng dài de zhí zé.
    As a doctor, saving lives and healing the wounded is a duty-bound responsibility.
  • ，责无旁贷，。
    Zhè jiàn shì yóu nǐ fù zé, nǐ zé wú páng dài, bì xū wán chéng.
    This matter is your responsibility — you are duty-bound and must complete it.

Origin

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 責; 责 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèicowry; money
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì責zé
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 責 pairs 貝, cowry/money, with 朿 as the sound part; the simplified 责 is a later shorthand.

Open 责 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

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
同同tóng
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng旁páng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 旁, 方 is the lower part and gives the sound. The upper part is unclear and may have been part of the meaning.

Open 旁 →

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 貸; 贷 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell
Sound part声符shēngfú
代
代dài貸dài
Same sound today

The traditional form 貸 pairs 貝 (shell) with 代, which gives its sound; the simplified 贷 is a later shorthand. It originally meant to give or bestow, later to lend.

Open 贷 →

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