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见义勇为 (jiàn yì yǒng wéi) — (idiom) to act heroically for a just cause; to see what is right and do it courageously

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning to act bravely when you see injustice — about stepping in to help, not just feeling righteous. 理直气壮 describes sounding/looking bold when you know you're right; 见义勇为 is the actual courageous deed.

idiom
to act heroically for a just causeto see what is right and do it courageously

Examples

  • 见义勇为，。
    Tā zài lù shang jiàn yì yǒng wéi, jiù le yí gè luò shuǐ de xiǎo hái.
    He acted heroically on the road and saved a child.
  • ，见义勇为。
    Yù dào huài rén shí, hěn shǎo yǒu rén gǎn jiàn yì yǒng wéi.
    When encountering a bad guy, few people dare to act heroically.
  • 见义勇为。
    Shè huì yīng gāi zàn yáng jiàn yì yǒng wéi de jīng shén.
    Society should praise the spirit of acting heroically for justice.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 見; 见 is its simplified writing.

  • 目目mùeye
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The traditional form 見 pairs 目 (eye) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a kneeling figure with a large eye for a head. The simplified 见 is a later shorthand.

Open 见 →

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
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
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.

Open 义 →

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
力力lìstrong
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng勇yǒng
Same sound today

勇 pairs 甬, which gives the sound, with 力, a strength part, to mean brave and strong.

Open 勇 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Idioms & Set PhrasesPersonality & Traits

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