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道义 (dào yì) — moral obligation and righteousness; justice (as a ethical principle)

Definition

A formal, written term for the moral principle or ethical duty behind an action — the sense of what is 'right' in an abstract sense, not a personal debt. Common in 新闻 and 学术 writing, less so in everyday speech.

noun
moral obligation and righteousnessjustice (as a ethical principle)

Examples

  • 道义。
    Wǒ men yīng gāi chéng dān dào yì shàng de zé rèn.
    We should bear the moral responsibility.
  • 道义。
    Tā zài guó jì shì wù shàng jǐ yǔ le dào yì zhī chí.
    He gave moral support in international affairs.
  • 道义。
    Zhè zhǒng zuò fǎ wéi bèi le jī běn dào yì.
    This practice violates basic moral justice.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

道dàomoral principle
义yìrighteousness

“道” as moral principle and “义” as righteousness combine to mean moral justice.

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
行行xíngstreet
止止zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
𩠐
首shǒu道dào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

Open 道 →

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 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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