Meaning
名誉 refers to one's reputation, honor, or good name in society. It encompasses how others perceive and judge a person's character, achievements, and social standing. This word carries significant weight in Chinese culture, where maintaining face and a good reputation has deep social importance.
Usage
名誉 is used in formal and semi-formal contexts when discussing someone's standing in society or professional reputation. It's particularly common in legal contexts (名誉权 - right to reputation), academic settings (名誉教授 - honorary professor), and when discussing damage to one's good name. More formal than 面子 (face) but related in concept.
Examples
- 01这件事严重损害了他的名誉。.This incident seriously damaged his reputation.
- 02他被聘为北京大学名誉教授。.He was appointed as an honorary professor at Peking University.
Characters
Common collocations
- 名誉权right to reputation
- 名誉教授honorary professor
- 损害名誉to damage reputation
- 维护名誉to protect one's reputation
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters relate to reputation: 名 originally meant 'name' (from mouth 口 and evening 夕, when people call out names in the dark), while 誉 combines 興 (to raise) and 言 (words), suggesting 'raising up in words' or praise.