Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== zhī ēn tú bào: 知恩图报 - To Repay a Kindness, To Be Grateful and Reciprocate ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** zhī ēn tú bào, 知恩图报, repay a kindness, show gratitude, reciprocate favor, Chinese idiom for gratitude, Chinese virtue, gratitude and repayment, zhien tubao, Chinese cultural values * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of the Chinese idiom **知恩图报 (zhī ēn tú bào)**, a core cultural value emphasizing the importance of not just feeling gratitude but actively seeking to repay a kindness. This guide explores how this profound concept of reciprocating favors shapes relationships in China. Learn how to use this phrase, understand its deep cultural significance, and see why it's a key to appreciating Chinese social ethics. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** zhī ēn tú bào * **Part of Speech:** Chengyu (成语) / Chinese Idiom; Verb Phrase * **HSK Level:** N/A (Considered fundamental cultural knowledge beyond HSK levels) * **Concise Definition:** To be grateful for a favor received and actively seek an opportunity to repay it. * **In a Nutshell:** 知恩图报 is more than just saying "thank you." It's a deeply ingrained moral principle that one must remember the kindness (恩, ēn) others have shown and actively plan (图, tú) to repay (报, bào) it. It describes a person of high moral character who understands that a significant favor creates a lasting social bond and a heartfelt obligation to reciprocate. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **知 (zhī):** To know, to recognize, to be aware of. * **恩 (ēn):** A significant kindness, favor, or act of grace. This isn't for small courtesies; it implies a deep, meaningful benefit. * **图 (tú):** To seek, to plan, to pursue. It suggests a proactive and deliberate effort. * **报 (bào):** To repay, to reciprocate, to report back. * The characters flow logically: One first **knows/recognizes a kindness (知恩)**, which then compels them to **seek/plan a repayment (图报)**. The entire phrase encapsulates a complete moral action, from recognition to reciprocation. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== 知恩图报 is a cornerstone of traditional Chinese ethics, deeply rooted in Confucian thought. It reflects the importance of social harmony, mutual obligation, and maintaining balanced relationships. While Western culture values gratitude, 知恩图报 places a much stronger emphasis on the **action** of repayment. It's not enough to simply feel thankful; a virtuous person must demonstrate it through deeds. This concept is closely tied to: * **[[人情]] (rénqíng):** The "human feeling" or social obligation that is created when a favor (恩, ēn) is given. Receiving a favor puts you in a state of social debt, which must be repaid to maintain face and honor. * **[[关系]] (guānxi):** Strong, reliable relationships are built upon a foundation of mutual support and reciprocity. Being a person who practices 知恩图报 makes you a trustworthy and valuable member of a social network. **Comparison to Western Culture:** A useful comparison is the concept of "paying it forward." While both involve reciprocating kindness, there's a key difference. "Paying it forward" often means passing the kindness on to a third person. 知恩图报 is almost always directed back to the original benefactor or, if they are unavailable, to their family or community. It is a direct and personal settlement of a social and moral debt. A simple "thank you" might close a transaction in the West, but in China, a significant favor opens a long-term cycle of mutual obligation. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== 知恩图报 is a formal and highly positive term. It is not used for everyday, minor courtesies. You use it to describe a person's admirable character or to express a profound sense of obligation for a major, life-altering favor. * **Praising Character:** It's often used to compliment someone, calling them a **知恩图报的人 (zhī ēn tú bào de rén)** - "a person who repays kindness." This is a very high compliment. * **Expressing Loyalty:** An employee might feel a duty of 知恩图报 towards a mentor who guided their career. A student feels it towards a teacher who invested in them. * **In Narratives:** This is a classic theme in Chinese stories, movies, and TV shows. A hero who was once helped by a poor villager will later return as a powerful official to repay the entire village. This trope resonates deeply with the cultural value of 知恩图报. * **Family Context:** It is the philosophical basis for filial piety. Children are expected to practice 知恩图报 for the "恩" of being raised by their parents. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 他是个**知恩图报**的人，绝不会忘记你对他的帮助。 * Pinyin: Tā shì ge **zhī ēn tú bào** de rén, jué bù huì wàngjì nǐ duì tā de bāngzhù. * English: He is the type of person who always repays kindness; he will never forget the help you gave him. * Analysis: This is a common way to praise someone's character, highlighting their loyalty and trustworthiness. * **Example 2:** * 李医生救了我的命，我一定要**知恩图报**。 * Pinyin: Lǐ yīshēng jiùle wǒ de mìng, wǒ yīdìng yào **zhī ēn tú bào**. * English: Doctor Li saved my life, I must repay this kindness. * Analysis: The favor here is life-saving, which is a perfect context for this idiom. It expresses a deep, personal commitment to reciprocate. * **Example 3:** * 从小父母就教育我们要**知恩图报**，不能忘本。 * Pinyin: Cóngxiǎo fùmǔ jiù jiàoyù wǒmen yào **zhī ēn tú bào**, bùnéng wàngběn. * English: Since we were young, our parents taught us that we must be grateful and repay favors, and not forget our roots. * Analysis: This sentence shows how 知恩图报 is taught as a fundamental moral lesson from childhood. * **Example 4:** * 这家公司给了我第一份工作，所以我想留下来，也算是**知恩图报**吧。 * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī gěile wǒ dì yī fèn gōngzuò, suǒyǐ wǒ xiǎng liú xiàlái, yě suànshì **zhī ēn tú bào** ba. * English: This company gave me my first job, so I want to stay, which you could consider a way of repaying their kindness. * Analysis: Here, it's used to explain loyalty in a professional context. The "吧 (ba)" at the end softens the tone slightly. * **Example 5:** * 你要小心那个人，他不是一个**知恩图报**的人。 * Pinyin: Nǐ yào xiǎoxīn nàge rén, tā bù shì yī ge **zhī ēn tú bào** de rén. * English: You need to be careful of that person; he is not the type to reciprocate kindness. * Analysis: This is a serious criticism of someone's character, implying they are ungrateful, untrustworthy, and potentially opportunistic. It's the opposite of a compliment. * **Example 6:** * 滴水之恩，当涌泉相报，这才是**知恩图报**的真谛。 * Pinyin: Dī shuǐ zhī ēn, dāng yǒng quán xiāng bào, zhè cái shì **zhī ēn tú bào** de zhēndì. * English: Repaying a drop of kindness with a gushing spring—this is the true essence of repaying kindness. * Analysis: This sentence links 知恩图报 with another famous proverb, explaining its core meaning: repayment should often be greater than the original favor. * **Example 7:** * 我只是顺手帮你个小忙，你不用把**知恩图报**挂在嘴边。 * Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐshì shùnshǒu bāng nǐ ge xiǎo máng, nǐ bùyòng bǎ **zhī ēn tú bào** guà zài zuǐbiān. * English: I just helped you with a small thing, you don't need to talk about repaying some great kindness. * Analysis: A humble response when someone is being overly thankful for a small favor. It clarifies that the situation doesn't warrant such a formal and heavy concept. * **Example 8:** * 在我们的文化里，**知恩图报**是一种重要的美德。 * Pinyin: Zài wǒmen de wénhuà lǐ, **zhī ēn tú bào** shì yī zhǒng zhòngyào de měidé. * English: In our culture, being grateful and repaying kindness is an important virtue. * Analysis: A straightforward sentence used to explain the cultural concept itself. * **Example 9:** * 动物尚且**知恩图报**，何况是人呢？ * Pinyin: Dòngwù shàngqiě **zhī ēn tú bào**, hékuàng shì rén ne? * English: Even animals know to repay kindness, let alone people, right? * Analysis: This is a rhetorical question often used in stories or arguments to shame someone who is ungrateful, comparing them unfavorably to loyal animals. * **Example 10:** * 他对我有知遇之恩，我此生必定**知恩图报**。 * Pinyin: Tā duì wǒ yǒu zhīyùzhīēn, wǒ cǐshēng bìdìng **zhī ēn tú bào**. * English: He has the grace of discovering my talent (and promoting me), I will surely spend my life repaying this kindness. * Analysis: This uses another related concept, [[知遇之恩]] (zhīyùzhīēn), the kindness of being discovered/appreciated. It highlights the profound and lifelong commitment implied by 知恩图报. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Don't Use for Small Favors:** The most common mistake for learners is using 知恩图报 for trivial matters. If someone buys you a coffee or holds the door, you say "谢谢 (xièxie)". Using this idiom would sound dramatic and strange. **Reserve it for significant, impactful acts of help.** * **Incorrect:** 谢谢你借我一支笔，我一定会**知恩图报**！ (Xièxie nǐ jiè wǒ yī zhī bǐ, wǒ yīdìng huì **zhī ēn tú bào**!) -> "Thanks for lending me a pen, I will definitely repay this great kindness!" This is grammatically correct but socially absurd. * **"Gratitude" is Not a Direct Translation:** The English word "gratitude" is a feeling. 知恩图报 is a principle of **action**. It contains both the feeling of gratitude (知恩) and the active plan to repay (图报). It's a much stronger and more committal concept. * **It Implies a Debt:** While positive, the concept carries the weight of a social or moral debt. It's a serious commitment. Declaring you will 知恩图报 is like making a solemn promise. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * **[[滴水之恩，当涌泉相报]]** (dī shuǐ zhī ēn, dāng yǒng quán xiāng bào) - A proverb meaning "a favor as small as a drop of water should be repaid with a gushing spring." It's a more poetic expression of the same principle. * **[[感恩]]** (gǎn'ēn) - To feel grateful. This is just the "feeling" part of 知恩图报. It's used much more frequently in daily life (e.g., 感恩节 Gǎn'ēn jié - Thanksgiving). * **[[报恩]]** (bào'ēn) - To repay a kindness. This is the "action" part. It's a verb focusing solely on the act of reciprocation. * **[[忘恩负义]]** (wàng ēn fù yì) - The direct antonym. It means "to forget kindness and betray trust," describing an ungrateful and treacherous person. * **[[饮水思源]]** (yǐn shuǐ sī yuán) - "When you drink water, think of its source." A related concept about remembering and being grateful for the origin of your blessings, whether it's parents, teachers, or society. * **[[人情]]** (rénqíng) - The web of social obligations and favors. 知恩图报 is how one navigates and honors their 人情 debts. * **[[礼尚往来]]** (lǐ shàng wǎng lái) - "Courtesy demands reciprocity." This is a broader principle of social exchange, while 知恩图报 is specifically about repaying a significant, one-way favor.