====== bèixìnqìyì: 背信弃义 - To Betray Trust and Abandon Principles; Perfidious ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** bèixìnqìyì, 背信弃义, Chinese idiom for betrayal, break a promise in Chinese, perfidious, treacherous, betray trust, abandon righteousness, breach of faith, Chinese chengyu, what does beixinqiyi mean
  * **Summary:** Discover the powerful Chinese chengyu (idiom) **bèixìnqìyì (背信弃义)**, a term describing the grave act of betraying trust and abandoning one's moral principles. More than just breaking a promise, this idiom signifies a deep moral failure and treachery. This page explores its meaning, cultural roots in the importance of '信' (xìn - trust), and how to use this formal and condemnatory term in modern contexts.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** bèi xìn qì yì
  * **Part of Speech:** Chengyu (成语 - idiom); can function as a verb or adjective.
  * **HSK Level:** N/A (Advanced vocabulary, suitable for HSK 6 and above)
  * **Concise Definition:** To break faith and abandon righteousness; to be perfidious or treacherous.
  * **In a Nutshell:** This is not for describing someone who forgot to call you back. **背信弃义 (bèixìnqìyì)** is a heavyweight term used to condemn a serious moral crime. It means someone has completely turned their back on a deeply held trust and thrown away their moral compass, usually for personal gain. Think of it as the ultimate accusation of treachery in a personal, business, or political relationship. The feeling is one of profound disappointment and moral outrage.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **背 (bèi):** To turn one's back on; to carry on the back. In this context, it means to violate or go against.
  * **信 (xìn):** Trust, faith, belief, sincerity. This is a cornerstone of Confucian ethics, representing reliability and integrity.
  * **弃 (qì):** To abandon, to discard, to cast aside as worthless.
  * **义 (yì):** Righteousness, justice, duty, morality. This refers to doing the "right thing" and upholding one's responsibilities to others.
When combined, the characters paint a vivid picture: **"To turn your back on trust (背信) and abandon/discard righteousness (弃义)."** The structure highlights a two-part moral failure: the betrayal of a specific trust and the abandonment of general moral principles.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
The gravity of **背信弃义 (bèixìnqìyì)** is rooted in the immense value placed on **信 (xìn)** and **义 (yì)** in Chinese culture, largely influenced by Confucianism.
  *   **信 (xìn)** is more than just "trust"; it's a person's credibility and the foundation of all social relationships. A person without 信 is considered unreliable and not a worthy member of the community.
  *   **义 (yì)** is the moral glue of society, representing a commitment to justice, duty, and appropriateness in one's actions, especially in relationships with family, friends, and society at large.
**Comparison to Western Concepts:** A Westerner might say someone "breached a contract" or was "two-faced."
  *   **"Breach of contract"** is primarily a legal or commercial concept. While it involves a broken promise, it doesn't always carry the same deep moral condemnation as 背信弃义. One can breach a contract for logistical reasons, but 背信弃义 implies a deliberate, morally corrupt choice.
  *   **"Treacherous" or "perfidious"** are close in meaning but **背信弃义** is more specific about //what// is being betrayed: both the interpersonal bond of **信 (trust)** and the universal code of **义 (righteousness)**. It's a holistic condemnation of someone's character. Accusing someone of being 背信弃义 is to say they have fundamentally failed as a moral person.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
This is a formal and very strong term. You will almost never hear it in casual, everyday conversation about minor issues.
  *   **Formal Condemnation:** Its primary use is to formally and strongly condemn a serious act of betrayal. It's common in:
    *   **News and Politics:** Describing a politician who betrays their constituents or an ally who breaks a treaty.
    *   **Business:** Accusing a partner who steals trade secrets or deliberately violates a foundational agreement for profit.
    *   **Legal Settings:** Used in arguments to paint the opposing party as morally bankrupt and untrustworthy.
    *   **Literature and History:** To describe villains, traitors, and figures who have committed great acts of betrayal.
  *   **Connotation and Tone:** The connotation is 100% negative and carries a heavy, judgmental tone. It's an accusation, not a neutral description. If you use this word, you are passing a severe moral judgment.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:** (Business Betrayal)
    * 他为了个人利益，**背信弃义**，出卖了公司的核心机密。
    * Pinyin: Tā wèile gèrén lìyì, **bèixìnqìyì**, chūmài le gōngsī de héxīn jīmì.
    * English: For the sake of personal gain, he was perfidious and sold out the company's core secrets.
    * Analysis: This is a classic use case. The act (selling secrets) is a clear violation of trust (信) and professional duty (义).
  * **Example 2:** (Personal Betrayal)
    * 我真没想到我最好的朋友会这样**背信弃义**，把我的秘密告诉了所有人。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ zhēn méi xiǎngdào wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyǒu huì zhèyàng **bèixìnqìyì**, bǎ wǒ de mìmì gàosù le suǒyǒu rén.
    * English: I never would have thought my best friend would be so treacherous as to tell my secret to everyone.
    * Analysis: The speaker is using strong language to express deep hurt and moral outrage at a friend's severe betrayal.
  * **Example 3:** (Historical/Political Context)
    * 在历史上，那些**背信弃义**的叛徒最终都没有好下场。
    * Pinyin: Zài lìshǐ shàng, nàxiē **bèixìnqìyì** de pàntú zuìzhōng dōu méiyǒu hǎo xiàchǎng.
    * English: In history, those perfidious traitors never came to a good end.
    * Analysis: Here, **背信弃义** is used as an adjective to describe "traitors" (叛徒 - pàntú), emphasizing their moral corruption.
  * **Example 4:** (Formal Warning)
    * 我们选择合作伙伴时，最看重的是诚信，绝不与**背信弃义**之徒为伍。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen xuǎnzé hézuò huǒbàn shí, zuì kànzhòng de shì chéngxìn, jué bù yǔ **bèixìnqìyì** zhī tú wéi wǔ.
    * English: When we choose partners, what we value most is integrity; we will never associate with perfidious people.
    * Analysis: This sentence uses a very formal structure ("之徒" - zhī tú, a formal way to say "person/people") to state a core principle.
  * **Example 5:** (Legal Accusation)
    * 对方公司的行为完全是**背信弃义**，严重违反了我们合同的根本原则。
    * Pinyin: Duìfāng gōngsī de xíngwéi wánquán shì **bèixìnqìyì**, yánzhòng wéifǎn le wǒmen hétóng de gēnběn yuánzé.
    * English: The other company's actions are completely perfidious, seriously violating the fundamental principles of our contract.
    * Analysis: Using this term in a legal or business dispute elevates the complaint from a simple breach to a moral failure.
  * **Example 6:** (In a Story)
    * 他曾经发誓要永远忠诚，但金钱的诱惑让他最终选择了**背信弃义**。
    * Pinyin: Tā céngjīng fāshì yào yǒngyuǎn zhōngchéng, dàn jīnqián de yòuhuò ràng tā zuìzhōng xuǎnzé le **bèixìnqìyì**.
    * English: He once swore to be eternally loyal, but the temptation of money made him ultimately choose perfidy.
    * Analysis: Shows the term used as a noun phrase representing the act of betrayal itself.
  * **Example 7:** (Questioning Character)
    * 一个连基本承诺都无法遵守的人，将来会不会做出**背信弃义**的事情？
    * Pinyin: Yī ge lián jīběn chéngnuò dōu wúfǎ zūnshǒu de rén, jiānglái huì bu huì zuòchū **bèixìnqìyì** de shìqing?
    * English: A person who can't even keep a basic promise, will they commit treacherous acts in the future?
    * Analysis: This sentence contrasts a small failure (not keeping a promise) with the potential for a much larger one (背信弃义).
  * **Example 8:** (Broken Political Promise)
    * 那位政客上台后，完全忘记了对选民的承诺，其行为无异于**背信弃义**。
    * Pinyin: Nà wèi zhèngkè shàngtái hòu, wánquán wàngjì le duì xuǎnmín de chéngnuò, qí xíngwéi wú yì yú **bèixìnqìyì**.
    * English: After that politician took office, he completely forgot his promises to the voters; his actions were tantamount to treachery.
    * Analysis: "无异于" (wú yì yú) means "no different from," a structure often used with 背信弃义 to equate an action with this severe concept.
  * **Example 9:** (General Moral Statement)
    * 做人要讲信用，不能做**背信弃义**的小人。
    * Pinyin: Zuòrén yào jiǎng xìnyòng, bù néng zuò **bèixìnqìyì** de xiǎorén.
    * English: To be a good person, you must be trustworthy; you cannot be a despicable person who betrays trust.
    * Analysis: A straightforward moral lesson. "小人" (xiǎorén) refers to a person of low character, often contrasted with the "君子" (jūnzǐ) or gentleman.
  * **Example 10:** (Expressing Disillusionment)
    * 经历了那次**背信弃义**的事件后，他再也不轻易相信任何人了。
    * Pinyin: Jīnglì le nà cì **bèixìnqìyì** de shìjiàn hòu, tā zài yě bù qīngyì xiāngxìn rènhé rén le.
    * English: After experiencing that perfidious incident, he no longer easily trusts anyone.
    * Analysis: Here, the idiom functions as an adjective modifying "incident" (事件 - shìjiàn), highlighting the nature of the event that caused his disillusionment.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  *   **Mistake 1: Using it for minor issues.**
    *   **Incorrect:** 我朋友迟到了十分钟，真是**背信弃义**！ (My friend was 10 minutes late, so perfidious!)
    *   **Reason:** This is extreme overkill. **背信弃义** is for grave moral betrayals, not minor inconveniences or broken casual promises. For a simple broken promise, you would use a much lighter term like **[[食言]] (shíyán)** - "to eat one's words" or **说话不算话 (shuōhuà bù suàn huà)** - "one's words don't count."
  *   **Mistake 2: Confusing it with simple unfaithfulness.**
    *   While betraying a romantic partner can be an act of **背信弃义**, the term is not exclusively about romantic infidelity. In English, "unfaithful" often immediately brings romance to mind. **背信弃义** is broader, applying equally to business, friendship, and politics. For romantic cheating specifically, the more common and direct term is **[[出轨]] (chūguǐ)** - "to cheat on someone." You could say someone's cheating was an act of **背信弃义**, but the latter describes the moral character of the act, while the former describes the act itself.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * **[[言而无信]] (yán ér wú xìn)** - To go back on one's word. A very close synonym, but with a stronger focus on the verbal promise (`言` - word/speech).
  * **[[见利忘义]] (jiàn lì wàng yì)** - To see profit and forget righteousness. This often describes the //motive// behind an act of 背信弃义.
  * **[[卖国求荣]] (mài guó qiú róng)** - To betray one's country for personal glory. This is an extreme and specific form of 背信弃义 on a national level.
  * **[[食言]] (shíyán)** - (Lit: to eat words) To break a promise. This is a much less formal and less severe synonym.
  * **[[出卖]] (chūmài)** - To sell out, to betray. A common verb for the act of betrayal, whereas 背信弃义 describes the entire moral failure.
  * **[[忘恩负义]] (wàng ēn fù yì)** - To forget gratitude and betray righteousness. Similar, but specifically highlights ingratitude as the core of the betrayal.
  * **[[信义]] (xìnyì)** - Faith and righteousness; credibility. The combined virtues that are violated by someone who is 背信弃义.
  * **[[忠诚]] (zhōngchéng)** - Loyalty, faithfulness. A direct antonym.
  * **[[一诺千金]] (yī nuò qiān jīn)** - A single promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold. An antonymous idiom that expresses the high value of keeping one's word.
  * **[[君子]] (jūnzǐ)** - The gentleman; a person of noble character. The ideal person in Confucianism who would never be 背信弃义.