📖 Meaning
To respect the elderly and honor those of virtue and talent. It expresses a moral attitude of valuing age, wisdom, and moral excellence in others. The phrase reflects the traditional Chinese virtue of deferring to seniority and merit.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase embodies a core Confucian moral principle that runs throughout Chinese classical thought, though it is not attributed to a single specific text. Respect for elders and reverence for the wise are themes found across the Analects, Mencius, and the Book of Rites. The idea was practiced in imperial court rituals and local community customs alike. It served as a guiding social ethic in dynastic governance and everyday life.
💡 Example Usage
在传统社会中，敬老尊贤是最基本的道德准则之一。
In traditional society, respecting the elderly and honoring the wise was one of the most fundamental moral principles.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 敬老尊贤
- Pinyin: jìng lǎo zūn xián
- Literal Translation: respect, old, honor, worthy
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4