Meaning
谦让 describes the virtue of being humble and willing to defer to others, yielding one's own interests or position for the sake of harmony and respect. It combines the concepts of modesty (谦) and yielding or giving way (让), representing a traditional Chinese cultural value of putting others before oneself.
Usage
谦让 is commonly used in formal or semi-formal contexts to describe polite, modest behavior, especially when declining honors, opportunities, or advantages. It carries positive connotations and is often used to praise someone's character or to describe ideal social behavior in Chinese culture.
Examples
- 01中国传统文化提倡谦让的美德。.Traditional Chinese culture promotes the virtue of modesty and deference.
- 02他们两个人互相谦让，谁都不肯先进门。, .The two of them deferred to each other, neither willing to enter the door first.
Characters
Common collocations
- 谦让有礼modest, courteous and well-mannered
- 相互谦让to defer to each other
- 谦让的态度a modest and yielding attitude
Antonyms
Origin
The word combines 谦 (humble) and 让 (to yield), both of which have been core virtues in Confucian ethics for thousands of years, emphasizing self-restraint and consideration for others.