Definition
挺身 is a separable verb (离合词) that literally means 'to straighten one's back', but in modern Chinese it's almost always used figuratively in the fixed phrase 挺身而出 (tǐng shēn ér chū) — 'to step forward courageously' to take responsibility or face a challenge. The verb 挺 and the object 身 can be separated by a modifier, e.g. 挺起胸膛 (tǐng qǐ xiōngtáng) 'to stick out one's chest'. You'll rarely hear it used for literal back-straightening outside of exercise contexts.
v.o.
(figurative) to step forward bravely (in 挺身而出)(literal) to straighten one's back
Examples
- ，，。Guānjiàn shíkè, tā tǐng shēn ér chū, chéngdān le suǒyǒu zérèn.At the critical moment, he stepped forward and took all the responsibility.
- ，。Miàn duì wēixiǎn, méiyǒu rén gǎn tǐng shēn ér chū.Facing danger, no one dared to step forward.
- ，：“！”Tā tǐng qǐ xiōngtáng, dàshēng shuō: “Wǒ lái!”He straightened his chest and said loudly, 'I'll do it!'
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.