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西山饿夫
西山饿夫
西山饿夫
西山饿夫
西山饿夫
西山饿夫
西山饿夫
西山饿夫

西山饿夫 — “Hungry men of the West Mountain”

西山饿夫 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “refers to individuals, specifically Bo Yi and Shu Qi, who, out of unyielding moral principles, chose to starve rather than accept provisions or serve a new regime they considered illegitimate; symbolizing steadfast integrity, unwavering loyalty, and defiance against perceived injustice or moral compromise”. Literally, “Hungry men of the West Mountain”.

Frequency

西山饿夫 Pronunciation and Pinyin

西山饿夫 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order
CharacterPinyinStrokesMeaning
西
xī6west; Western countries
山
shān3mountain or hill
饿
è10to be hungry or starve
夫
fū4man, husband, or classical particle

Example Sentence with 西山饿夫

尽管生活困顿,他却不肯接受任何有违自己信念的帮助,其坚贞不屈的精神,颇有西山饿夫之风。
Despite his difficult life, he refused to accept any help that went against his convictions; his unyielding and steadfast spirit is quite like that of the 'Hungry Men of West Mountain'.

Origin and Story of 西山饿夫

At the end of the Shang Dynasty, Bo Yi, the eldest son of Lord Guzhu, firmly refused to inherit the throne after his father's death.

Later, when the Shang Dynasty fell and King Wu of Zhou established the Zhou Dynasty, Bo Yi and his younger brother Shu Qi felt it was a great disgrace to serve the new dynasty. They decided never to eat the grain of the Zhou Dynasty, considering it illegitimate. The two brothers then secluded themselves on Shouyang Mountain, subsisting solely on wild fruits and vegetables gathered from the mountain, and eventually starved to death there.

They became a symbol of unwavering moral integrity and loyalty.

Idioms Related to 西山饿夫

More idioms starting with 西

  • xī西tái台tòng痛kū哭weep bitterly over national catastrophe
  • xī西zǐ子pěng捧xīn心A pained beauty's enhanced allure
  • xī西xué学dōng东jiàn渐Western learning spreading eastward
  • xī西shān山rì日báo薄approaching end or severe decline
  • xī西shān山rì日pò迫nearing the end of life or decay
  • xī西shì市cháo朝yī衣loyal official unjustly executed
  • xī西fāng方jìng净guó国Western Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha
  • xī西fāng方jìng净tǔ土Buddhist Western Paradise or Pure Land
  • xī西shī施pěng捧xīn心a beauty's pained expression enhances her charm
  • xī西wāi歪dōng东dào倒swaying unsteadily
  • xī西hé河zhī之tòng痛profound grief over loss of son
  • xī西méi眉nán南liǎn脸exceptionally beautiful woman

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Questions about 西山饿夫

What does 西山饿夫 mean?

西山饿夫 (xī shān è fū) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “refers to individuals, specifically Bo Yi and Shu Qi, who, out of unyielding moral principles, chose to starve rather than accept provisions or serve a new regime they considered illegitimate; symbolizing steadfast integrity, unwavering loyalty, and defiance against perceived injustice or moral compromise”.

How do you pronounce 西山饿夫?

西山饿夫 is pronounced xī shān è fū in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 西山饿夫 literally mean?

Literally, 西山饿夫 means “Hungry men of the West Mountain”. It is used to mean “refers to individuals, specifically Bo Yi and Shu Qi, who, out of unyielding moral principles, chose to starve rather than accept provisions or serve a new regime they considered illegitimate; symbolizing steadfast integrity, unwavering loyalty, and defiance against perceived injustice or moral compromise”.

Where does 西山饿夫 come from?

西山饿夫 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 西山饿夫?

指不食周粟的伯夷与叔齐

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