📖 Meaning
To persist in committing evil and refuse to repent or mend one's ways. It describes someone who continues wicked behavior despite warnings or chances to reform. The phrase condemns an unrepentant attitude toward wrongdoing.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase is a classical Chinese expression rooted in Confucian moral discourse condemning those who refuse to reform. It pairs '为恶' (to commit evil) with '不悛' (not to repent or correct), a usage attested in various historical texts and commentaries. The concept reflects the traditional emphasis on self-correction and moral accountability central to Confucian ethics. No single definitive source is recorded for this exact four-character combination.
💡 Example Usage
此人多次犯罪却为恶不悛，终被严惩。
This person committed crimes repeatedly yet refused to repent, and was finally severely punished.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 为恶不悛
- Pinyin: wéi è bù quān
- Literal Translation: do, evil, not, repent
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4