礼义廉耻

禮義廉恥
lǐyì-liánchǐ
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 propriety, righteousness, integrity and a sense of shame
  2. 2 basic moral standards

Examples

HSK 3
Zuòrén yào jiǎng lǐyì-liánchǐ.
A person should live by propriety, righteousness, integrity and a sense of shame.
HSK 6
Wèile qián, tā lián lǐyì-liánchǐ dōu búgù le.
For money, he has thrown aside every sense of decency and shame.

Tips

history
From the 《管子》, which calls these the four bonds (四维) of a state: if they are not upheld, the state perishes. They were promoted again in the 1930s New Life Movement, and the four pockets of the 中山装 came to be read as standing for them.

Stroke Order

礼 lǐ
义 yì
廉 lián
耻 chǐ