📖 Meaning
To take wealth from the rich and use it to help the poor. It describes an act of vigilante justice or Robin Hood-style redistribution, often carried out by outlaws or rebels who see themselves as champions of the downtrodden. The idiom carries a romanticized, righteous connotation rather than one of simple theft.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom first appears in Chapter 35 of Zeng Pu's late Qing dynasty novel 'Nie Hai Hua' (《孽海花》, 'Flower in a Sea of Sin'), where a character declares that his lifelong joy has been robbing the rich to aid the poor, suppressing the strong to support the weak, and standing up against injustice. The concept, however, predates the novel and is deeply rooted in Chinese folk tradition, most famously embodied by the outlaws of Liangshan Marsh in 'Water Margin' (《水浒传》), who were celebrated as righteous bandits. Throughout Chinese history, peasant rebels and folk heroes often invoked this principle to justify their actions against corrupt officials and wealthy landlords.
💡 Example Usage
梁山好汉们劫富济贫，深受穷苦百姓的爱戴。
The Liangshan heroes robbed the rich to aid the poor, earning the deep affection of the impoverished common people.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 劫富济贫
- Pinyin: jié fù jì pín
- Literal Translation: rob, rich, aid, poor
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4