📖 Meaning
It describes a situation where bad people or bad deeds are punished or suppressed, bringing great satisfaction and delight to everyone. The phrase conveys the collective sense of justice being served and gratification felt by the public. It is typically used in contexts involving the downfall of villains or corrupt figures.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Ming dynasty play 'Jiéxiá Jì' (Record of the Chivalrous), specifically the chapter 'Zhū Nìng' (Executing the Flatterer) by playwright Xǔ Sānjiē. In one scene, a character named Lǐ Qínshòu, a notorious villain, is sentenced to death by imperial decree, which is described as 'greatly satisfying to everyone's heart.' The line encourages a senior figure to take the main seat and carry out the execution so that the speaker may witness justice being served firsthand.
💡 Example Usage
贪官被绳之以法，真是大快人心。
The corrupt official was brought to justice, which was immensely satisfying to everyone.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 大快人心
- Pinyin: dà kuài rén xīn
- Literal Translation: big, satisfying, people's, heart
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4