Definition
打抱不平 is a fixed four-character expression meaning to act on behalf of the wronged or to stand up against injustice. You can use it both as a verb phrase (e.g., 他喜欢打抱不平 'he likes to defend the oppressed') and as a noun-like set phrase (e.g., 他有一颗打抱不平的心 'he has a heart that fights for justice'). It originates from the concept of 'striking out to embrace injustice' and is often associated with heroic or chivalrous behavior, especially in martial-arts novels. It is not typically split as a separable verb, despite the v.o. label in the source.
v.o.
to defend victims of injusticeto stand up against oppression
Examples
- ，。Tā cóngxiǎo jiù hào dá, kàndào biérén shòu qīfu zǒng shì dì yī gè zhàn chūlái.He has always been someone who defends the wronged; whenever he sees others being bullied, he is the first to step forward.
- ，。Zhè bù xiǎoshuō lǐ de xiákè zuì shàncháng dá, bāngzhù le bù shǎo wúgū de rén.The knight-errant in this novel is best at fighting injustice and has helped many innocent people.
- ，。Tā dá de xìnggé ràng tā zài zhí chǎng zhōng dézuì le yìxiē rén, dàn yě yíngdé le hěnduō zūnzhòng.Her character of standing up for the oppressed offended some people in the workplace, but also earned her a lot of respect.
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