📖 Meaning
A path or opportunity for wrongdoers to reform themselves and start life anew. It refers to giving criminals or those who have erred a chance to correct their mistakes and reintegrate into society.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the 'Records of the Three Kingdoms' (三国志), specifically the Biography of Tian Yu in the Book of Wei. Tian Yu was an official during the Cao Wei dynasty in the Three Kingdoms period. When he encountered imprisoned convicts, he personally met with all of them, offered comfort and guidance, and opened for them a path to self-renewal by releasing them from their shackles and setting them free. The story illustrates a governance philosophy of mercy and rehabilitation over harsh punishment.
💡 Example Usage
法庭为初犯者留一条自新之路，给予缓刑机会。
The court left a path of reform open for first-time offenders by granting them probation.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 自新之路
- Pinyin: zì xīn zhī lù
- Literal Translation: self, renew, of, path
- Category: Recovery
- Characters: 4