对得起

• Pinyin: duì de qǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 对 = face/respond; 得 = 彳(movement) + 旦 + 寸 — to obtain/achieve; 起 = 走 (walk) + 己 (self) — to rise and stand

Meaning

To be worthy of; to live up to someone's trust, sacrifice, or expectations. To do right by a person. The negative form 对不起 is the standard apology meaning 'sorry'.

对得起 is more solemn and reflective than everyday praise. It appears in expressions of moral reckoning: 对得起良心 (have a clear conscience), 对得起父母的培养 (be worthy of one's parents' upbringing), 对得起牺牲的先烈 (be worthy of those who sacrificed their lives). Often used in motivational, political, or emotional speeches.

Examples

1. 他一生清廉为官，临终时坦言自己对得起良心，对得起百姓。 He served as an honest, incorruptible official all his life, and on his deathbed he said he had a clear conscience and had done right by the people.
2. 作为运动员，只有竭尽全力，才对得起教练多年来的悉心培养。 As an athlete, only by giving it everything you have can you live up to your coach’s years of careful training.
3. 我们必须努力建设好这个国家，才对得起为革命流血牺牲的先辈们。 We must work hard to build this country well, to honor the martyrs who shed blood and sacrificed their lives for the revolution.

Usage Guide

Context: moral reflection, motivation, public speech, family values

Tone: earnest

Do Say

• 无论结果如何，只要你已经全力以赴，就对得起自己的付出，无需遗憾。(Whatever the outcome, as long as you have given your all, you are worthy of your own effort and need have no regrets.)
• 她在最艰难的岁月里坚持照顾双亲，终于对得起当年对父母许下的承诺。(She persisted in caring for her parents through the most difficult years and finally lived up to the promise she had made to them.)

Don't Say

• 这件产品对得起价格 — 对得起 is for moral worthiness to people, not price-value judgements; say 这件产品物有所值 or 价格合理

Origin & History

对 (facing/toward) + 得起 (able to bear/able to face) — to be able to face someone without shame

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal