jiàn yì yǒng wéi: 见义勇为 - To Act Bravely for a Just Cause

• Keywords: jian yi yong wei, 见义勇为, Chinese hero, act bravely for a just cause, righteous courage, help someone in danger Chinese, Chinese cultural values, chengyu, Chinese idiom, Good Samaritan China
• Summary: Discover the meaning of the Chinese idiom 见义勇为 (jiàn yì yǒng wéi), a term that embodies the virtue of acting bravely for a just cause. This page explores its cultural roots in Confucianism, its modern use in describing everyday heroes, and how you can use this powerful phrase to talk about righteous courage. Learn what it means to see injustice and have the courage to act, a highly respected value in Chinese society.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jiàn yì yǒng wéi
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (成语) - Four-character idiom
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To see what is right and have the courage to do it.
• In a Nutshell: 见义勇为 is more than just being brave; it's about being brave *for the right reasons*. It describes a specific type of heroism: stepping up to help someone or correct an injustice, often at personal risk, simply because it's the right thing to do. It’s the moral opposite of being a passive bystander when you witness wrongdoing.

• 见 (jiàn): To see, to witness.
• 义 (yì): Righteousness, justice, morality. This is a key concept in Confucian thought.
• 勇 (yǒng): Brave, courageous, valiant.
• 为 (wéi): To do, to act.

These four characters combine literally and powerfully: “To see (见) righteousness (义) and bravely (勇) act (为).” The meaning is transparent and captures a profound moral imperative.

见义勇为 is a cornerstone of public morality in China, deeply rooted in Confucian philosophy. The character 义 (yì), or righteousness, is one of the Five Constants (五常, wǔcháng) that define a virtuous person (君子, jūnzǐ). The classic saying by Confucius, “见义不为，无勇也” (jiàn yì bù wéi, wú yǒng yě) — “To see what is right and not do it is to lack courage” — is the direct philosophical origin of this idiom.

• Comparison with “Good Samaritan”:

While “Good Samaritan” is a close Western parallel, there are key differences. A “Good Samaritan” typically refers to someone who helps another person in distress (e.g., a medical emergency or accident) out of compassion. 见义勇为 shares this but carries a stronger connotation of confronting injustice or danger. It could describe someone who stops a robbery, confronts a harasser, or pulls someone from a burning building. The emphasis is on upholding justice (义), not just providing aid.

• Modern Day Relevance:

In modern China, the concept is heavily promoted by the government and media. Citizens who perform such acts are often publicly commended and given the title “见义勇为英雄” (jiàn yì yǒng wéi yīng xióng), or “Hero who Acted Bravely for a Just Cause.” This praise reinforces a social expectation that people should not be passive bystanders (a phenomenon sometimes called `袖手旁观 xiù shǒu páng guān`).

见义勇为 is a formal and highly laudatory term.

• In the Media and Official Contexts: You will see this phrase constantly in news reports about everyday heroes. The government frequently bestows awards and financial rewards upon individuals recognized for their 见义勇为 acts.
• In Conversation: It's used to give high praise to someone who has done something genuinely heroic and selfless. While it can be used to describe a friend who stood up to a bully, it's generally reserved for situations involving real risk or significant moral courage. Using it for a minor act of kindness would sound like an exaggeration.

Its connotation is universally positive and inspiring. There is no negative or ironic usage.

• Example 1:
  • 他因见义勇为，从火中救出了一个孩子，被评为城市英雄。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīn jiàn yì yǒng wéi, cóng huǒ zhōng jiù chū le yí gè háizi, bèi píng wéi chéngshì yīngxióng.
  • English: Because he acted bravely for a just cause by saving a child from a fire, he was named a city hero.
  • Analysis: This is a classic, formal usage often found in news reports. It connects the act directly to official recognition.
• Example 2:
  • 看到有人抢钱包，那位年轻人毫不犹豫地冲了上去，真是见义勇为！
  • Pinyin: Kàndào yǒurén qiǎng qiánbāo, nà wèi niánqīngrén háo bù yóuyù de chōng le shàngqù, zhēn shì jiàn yì yǒng wéi!
  • English: Seeing someone snatch a purse, that young man rushed forward without hesitation—truly an act of righteous courage!
  • Analysis: This demonstrates a common conversational use to praise a heroic act witnessed by the speaker.
• Example 3:
  • 我们社会需要更多见义勇为的好市民。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen shèhuì xūyào gèng duō jiàn yì yǒng wéi de hǎo shìmín.
  • English: Our society needs more good citizens who will act bravely for just causes.
  • Analysis: This is a general statement about social values, using the idiom to describe a desired quality in people.
• Example 4:
  • 尽管他自己也害怕，但他还是选择了见义勇为，制止了那起暴力事件。
  • Pinyin: Jǐnguǎn tā zìjǐ yě hàipà, dàn tā háishì xuǎnzé le jiàn yì yǒng wéi, zhìzhǐ le nà qǐ bàolì shìjiàn.
  • English: Although he was also scared, he still chose to act righteously and stopped that violent incident.
  • Analysis: This example highlights the internal conflict and the conscious choice to be brave, which is at the heart of the term.
• Example 5:
  • 公司决定奖励那位见义勇为、保护了同事安全的员工。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī juédìng jiǎnglì nà wèi jiàn yì yǒng wéi, bǎohù le tóngshì ānquán de yuángōng.
  • English: The company decided to reward the employee who acted heroically to protect the safety of his colleagues.
  • Analysis: Shows how the term can be used in a corporate or organizational context to recognize and encourage such behavior.
• Example 6:
  • 在中国，见义勇为的行为会受到法律的保护和社会的赞扬。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, jiàn yì yǒng wéi de xíngwéi huì shòudào fǎlǜ de bǎohù hé shèhuì de zànyáng.
  • English: In China, acts of righteous courage receive legal protection and societal praise.
  • Analysis: This sentence explains the social and legal status of 见义勇为 in a direct, informative way.
• Example 7:
  • 他见义勇为的精神值得我们每一个人学习。
  • Pinyin: Tā jiàn yì yǒng wéi de jīngshén zhídé wǒmen měi yí gè rén xuéxí.
  • English: His spirit of acting bravely for a just cause is worthy of every one of us to learn from.
  • Analysis: Here, the focus shifts from the act itself to the “spirit” (`精神 jīngshén`) behind it, treating it as an abstract virtue.
• Example 8:
  • 面对危险，你是选择袖手旁观，还是见义勇为？
  • Pinyin: Miànduì wēixiǎn, nǐ shì xuǎnzé xiù shǒu páng guān, háishì jiàn yì yǒng wéi?
  • English: Faced with danger, would you choose to be a bystander or act bravely for what's right?
  • Analysis: This poses a direct moral question, contrasting 见义勇为 with its antonym, `袖手旁观` (to be an indifferent bystander).
• Example 9:
  • 那个学生见义勇为，站出来制止了校园霸凌。
  • Pinyin: Nàge xuéshēng jiàn yì yǒng wéi, zhàn chūlái zhìzhǐ le xiàoyuán bàlíng.
  • English: That student acted with righteous courage, standing up to stop the school bullying.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of applying the term to a non-life-threatening but important moral situation.
• Example 10:
  • 如果没有路人见义勇为，后果将不堪设想。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ méiyǒu lùrén jiàn yì yǒng wéi, hòuguǒ jiāng bùkānshèxiǎng.
  • English: If a passerby hadn't bravely intervened, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses a hypothetical structure to emphasize the crucial impact of a 见义勇为 act.

• Not Just General Bravery: A common mistake is to use 见义勇为 for any brave act. The term 勇敢 (yǒnggǎn) means “brave” or “courageous” in a general sense. You can be `勇敢` to quit your job or give a public speech, but that is not 见义勇为. The latter specifically requires two conditions: 1) you witness (见) an injustice or danger, and 2) you intervene based on a sense of righteousness (义).
  • Incorrect: 他很见义勇为，敢于挑战这个困难的项目。(He is very jiàn yì yǒng wéi and dares to take on this difficult project.)
  • Correct: 他很勇敢，敢于挑战这个困难的项目。(He is very brave and dares to take on this difficult project.)
• Not Vigilantism: While 见义勇为 involves intervention, it's celebrated as upholding social order, not subverting it. It means stepping in to help or stop a crime in progress, with the expectation that official authorities (like the police) will handle the final judgment. It does not mean taking the law into your own hands, which has a negative connotation.

• 英雄 (yīngxióng): Hero. A person who performs a 见义勇为 act is often called a hero.
• 助人为乐 (zhù rén wéi lè): To find joy in helping others. This describes general altruism and kindness. It's less about courage in a crisis and more about a helpful personality.
• 正义感 (zhèngyì gǎn): A sense of justice. This is the inner quality that motivates a person to 见义勇为.
• 路见不平，拔刀相助 (lù jiàn bù píng, bá dāo xiāng zhù): “Seeing injustice on the road and drawing one's sword to help.” A more classical and vivid idiom with the same core meaning, often found in wuxia (martial arts) stories.
• 舍己为人 (shě jǐ wèi rén): To sacrifice oneself for others. This is a more extreme form of altruism and often overlaps with the most dramatic cases of 见义勇为.
• 袖手旁观 (xiù shǒu páng guān): To stand by with folded arms; to be an indifferent bystander. This is the direct antonym and represents the social behavior that 见义勇为 stands against.
• 勇敢 (yǒnggǎn): Brave, courageous. The general term for bravery. 见义勇为 is a specific, context-dependent type of `勇敢`.