📖 Meaning
To aid those in peril and rescue those who are drowning. It is a metaphor for doing one's utmost to help others in distress or danger. The idiom conveys a spirit of selfless compassion and timely intervention.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom draws on the vivid imagery of pulling a drowning person from water and supporting someone in a precarious situation. While no single classical text is cited as its definitive source, the phrase echoes themes found throughout Chinese moral philosophy, where saving the imperiled is regarded as a cardinal virtue. It reflects the Confucian ideal of benevolence and the duty to assist those facing life-threatening circumstances. Over time it became a common expression for humanitarian rescue and charitable relief.
💡 Example Usage
洪水来袭时，他奋不顾身地扶危拯溺，救出了十几位被困村民。
When the flood struck, he threw himself into rescuing the imperiled and drowning, saving over a dozen trapped villagers.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 扶危拯溺
- Pinyin: fú wēi zhěng nì
- Literal Translation: support, danger, rescue, drowning
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4