排忧解难 (pái yōu jiě nàn) — to help someone get rid of worries and overcome difficulties; to solve someone's problems

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning to help others dispel worries and resolve difficulties. Used for service-oriented actions (lawyers, volunteers, officials), not casual favors.

idiom
to help someone get rid of worries and overcome difficultiesto solve someone's problems

Examples

  • ，排忧解难。
    Tā zǒng shì zài péng you yù dào kùn nan shí shēn chū yuán shǒu, wèi dà jiā pái yōu jiě nàn.
    He always lends a hand when friends encounter difficulties, helping everyone solve problems.
  • 排忧解难，。
    Zhè wèi lǜ shī wèi hěn duō ruò shì qún tǐ pái yōu jiě nàn, yíng dé le zūn zhòng.
    This lawyer has helped many disadvantaged groups overcome difficulties and earned respect.
  • 排忧解难，。
    Shè qū zhì yuàn zhě jī jí wèi jū mín pái yōu jiě nàn, jiě jué rì cháng shēng huó zhōng de gè zhǒng wèn tí.
    Community volunteers actively help residents solve various problems in daily life.

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.

排忧drive away worries
排páidrive away忧yōuworry
动宾Verb + object
解难resolve difficulties
解jiěresolve难nándifficulty
动宾Verb + object

排忧 drives away worries and 解难 resolves difficulties, together expressing help with problems.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
非
非fēi排pái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

排 uses 扌 (hand) to show arranging something with the hand, and 非 for the sound; this gives the sense of placing things in a line.

Open 排 →

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
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
尤
尤yóu忧yōu
Same sound today

The heart part 心 marks a feeling, and 尤 gives the sound.

Open 忧 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

解 shows 刀 (knife) separating 角 (horn) from 牛 (cow), giving the picture of cutting up an ox.

Open 解 →

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 難; 难 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
隹隹zhuībird
Sound part声符shēngfú
暵
暵hàn難nán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional 難 pairs 隹, a bird, with 暵 for sound, and meant a type of bird. It was later borrowed for other meanings; the modern 难 is a shorthand.

Open 难 →

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