违乡负俗

wéi xiāng fù sú
Literal: "leave, hometown, turn against, customs"

📖 Meaning

This idiom describes leaving one's hometown and going against the conventions of society. It portrays a person who departs from their native place while also defying established customs and worldly norms.

📜 Origin Story

This is a compound idiom with no single definitive literary source. It joins the notion of leaving one's hometown (违乡) with that of going against prevailing customs (负俗), reflecting the classical Chinese ideal of staying rooted in one's native soil. Such phrasing often appears in literature describing wandering scholars or exiles who forsook both their birthplace and accepted conventions. It conveys the hardships and moral stance of one who lives apart from both home and mainstream society.

💡 Example Usage

他为了追求理想,违乡负俗,独自远行。

To pursue his ideals, he left his hometown and went against convention, traveling alone.

🏷️ Category

➕ Similar Idioms

➖ Opposite Idioms

🔤 Quick Facts

  • Chinese: 违乡负俗
  • Pinyin: wéi xiāng fù sú
  • Literal Translation: leave, hometown, turn against, customs
  • Category: Lifestyle
  • Characters: 4