大公无私

• Pinyin: dà gōng wú sī
• Hanzi breakdown: 大 = great; 公 = public; 无 = without; 私 = private, selfish

Meaning

Selfless; impartial; putting public interest above personal gain. An idiom describing someone who is completely fair and unselfish.

A high compliment for officials, leaders, or anyone in a position to show favoritism but who instead treats everyone fairly. Often used in political or moral contexts to describe ideal behavior.

Examples

1. 他是一位大公无私的法官，从不接受任何贿赂。 He is a selfless judge who never accepts any bribes.
2. 领导应该大公无私，不能只照顾自己的亲信。 Leaders should be impartial and not just take care of their own cronies.
3. 她大公无私地把奖金分给了团队的每一个人。 She selflessly distributed the bonus to everyone on the team.

Usage Guide

Context: moral, political, leadership

Tone: admiring

Do Say

• 我们需要大公无私的领导人。(We need selfless leaders.)
• 他处事大公无私，令人敬佩。(He handles matters selflessly, which is admirable.)

Don't Say

• 这块蛋糕很大公无私 (大公无私 describes people and their behavior, not objects)

Origin & History

Classical idiom meaning 大 (great) + 公 (public/impartial) + 无 (without) + 私 (private/selfish). Together meaning completely impartial without selfishness.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal