📖 Meaning
To remonstrate with the ruler loyally and forthrightly for the sake of the state, without regard for one's own safety or benefit. It describes a minister's selfless devotion to duty, prioritizing the nation over personal interest. The phrase is a variant of the more common '蹇蹇匪躬'.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom derives from the Book of Changes (易经), specifically the line text of the Jian hexagram (蹇卦): '王臣蹇蹇，匪躬之故' — 'The king's minister is loyal and upright, not for his own sake.' In this context, 蹇 (jiǎn) denotes a minister who is unwaveringly loyal and candid, while 匪躬 (fěi gōng) means 'not for oneself.' The passage portrays a faithful official who, despite peril and difficulty, risks everything to offer honest counsel to the sovereign. Over time the phrase came to symbolize the virtue of selfless, courageous remonstration in service of the state.
💡 Example Usage
他一生蹇之匪躬，为国尽忠，深受后人敬仰。
Throughout his life he served the state with selfless loyalty and forthright counsel, earning the deep admiration of later generations.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 蹇之匪躬
- Pinyin: jiǎn zhī fěi gōng
- Literal Translation: loyal-and-straightforward, not, oneself
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4