打抱不平

dǎbào-bùpíng
idiom #35,127

Meanings

  1. 1 to step in to defend someone treated unjustly
  2. 2 to take up the cause of the wronged

Examples

HSK 2
Tā ài dǎbào-bùpíng, suǒyǐ péngyou hěnduō.
He's always ready to stand up for the underdog, which is why he has so many friends.
HSK 6
Kàndào lǎorén bèi qīfù, tā rěnbuzhù yào dǎbào-bùpíng.
Seeing the old man being bullied, she couldn't help stepping in to defend him.

Tips

history
Recorded in 《红楼梦》 ch. 45, where Wang Xifeng's maid speaks of 'taking up the cause' for Ping'er. The phrase has the Qing-era flavor of street-level chivalry (路见不平).
usage
The 不平 ('injustice') is what's being '打抱'-ed (taken up and confronted). Often paired with 路见 in the saying 路见不平,拔刀相助.

Stroke Order

bào
píng