侠义

• Pinyin: xiá yì
• Hanzi breakdown: 侠 = 亻+ 夹 (person radical + pinched between — protector standing between people); 义 = 羊 + 我 (sheep/goodness + I — righteousness)

Meaning

Chivalrous; gallant; having a spirit of righteousness and willingness to help the weak. The heroic moral code of the traditional Chinese knight-errant.

Rooted in the 侠 (knight-errant, xia) tradition of Chinese culture, 侠义 combines loyalty, courage, and a willingness to sacrifice for justice. Central to wuxia fiction and folk heroism. Contrasts with selfish or cowardly behaviour.

Examples

1. 他路见不平，挺身相助，充分体现了中国传统文化中的侠义精神。 Seeing an injustice and stepping in to help fully reflects the chivalrous spirit in traditional Chinese culture.
2. 这部武侠小说塑造了一个侠义心肠的女侠形象，令读者印象深刻。 This martial-arts novel portrays a female hero with a strong sense of righteousness, leaving a deep impression on readers.
3. 他的侠义之举赢得了周围人的尊重与赞赏。 His chivalrous acts earned the respect and admiration of those around him.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, culture, ethics, social behaviour, wuxia

Tone: admiring

Do Say

• 中国武侠文学的侠义不只是护弱守正，更强调个体在体制外主动维护道德秩序，因此形成了独特的精神魅力。(The chivalric spirit in Chinese wuxia literature is not only about protecting the weak and upholding justice; it also emphasizes the individual's active defense of moral order outside the system, which gives it a unique spiritual appeal.)
• 在网络文化中，普通用户挺身揭露不公、为受害者发声时，常被称为侠义，这说明侠义的核心价值仍有广泛共鸣。(In online culture, when ordinary users step forward to expose injustice and speak up for victims, they are often praised as chivalrous, showing that its core values still resonate widely.)

Don't Say

• 侠义 to mean merely kind or generous — 侠义 implies a heroic, potentially self-sacrificing commitment to justice on behalf of others; for ordinary kindness use 善良 or 好心

Origin & History

侠 (knight-errant, chivalric hero — 亻+ 夹, person between two others, a protector) + 义 (righteousness, justice — 羊 + 我, sheep + I — moral goodness) — the righteous spirit of the traditional hero

Cultural Context

Era: Classical to present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal