骨气

• Pinyin: gǔ qì
• Hanzi breakdown: 骨 = 冂 + 月 — bone, structural metaphor for inner strength; 气 = 气 — breath, spirit, vital energy within one's bones

Meaning

Moral backbone; integrity; unyielding spirit. The quality of having moral courage and dignity — maintaining one's principles under pressure or adversity without compromise.

A deeply culturally loaded term in Chinese, evoking images of scholars and heroes who refused to compromise their principles even under extreme hardship. Often used in praise of someone who stands firm against injustice, refuses bribes, or endures poverty with dignity. The concept is central to traditional Chinese character ideals.

Examples

1. 在强权面前，他始终保持骨气，拒绝签署那份不公正的协议。 In the face of brute power, he maintained his integrity and refused to sign that unjust agreement.
2. 一个有骨气的人，即便生活再艰难，也不会为了利益出卖自己的原则。 Someone with backbone won’t sell out their principles for profit, no matter how hard life gets.
3. 历史上有骨气的文人，往往宁可穷困潦倒，也不肯向权贵折腰。 Throughout history, writers with backbone would often rather live in poverty than bow to the powerful.

Usage Guide

Context: ethics, character, literature, history, social commentary

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 他面对无理压力没有退缩，这种骨气赢得了同事们的普遍敬重。(He did not back down in the face of unreasonable pressure — this kind of backbone earned him widespread respect from his colleagues.)
• 真正有骨气的人，不因贫穷而自卑，也不因富贵而忘本。(A person of true integrity is not made to feel inferior by poverty, nor do they forget their roots when they become wealthy.)

Don't Say

• 将'骨气'与'脾气'混用 — 骨气 refers to moral backbone and dignified integrity; 脾气 refers to temperament or a bad temper; they are not interchangeable

Origin & History

骨 (bone) + 气 (spirit; energy; qi). The compound suggests the vital energy or spirit residing within one's bones — symbolizing the innermost, unshakeable character of a person.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal; especially valued in traditional educated circles