义不容辞 (yì bù róng cí) — to be duty-bound; to have a moral obligation th…

Definition

Formal written idiom meaning one has a moral duty that cannot be refused, used in lofty, official-style contexts rather than everyday speech.

idiom

to be duty-boundto have a moral obligation that one cannot refuse

义不容辞。
Bāng zhù bié rén shì yì bù róng cí de shì.
Helping others is a duty that cannot be refused.
，义不容辞。
Zuò wéi yī shēng, jiù sǐ fú shāng yì bù róng cí.
As a doctor, saving lives and healing the wounded is a duty that cannot be declined.
，义不容辞。
Guó jiā yǒu nán, wǒ men yì bù róng cí.
When the country is in trouble, we are duty-bound.

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 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

我

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.

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

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

宀宀mián

Sound part声符shēngfú

公

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 容, the 宀 (roof) part points to holding or containing, and 公 gives the sound.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in