积德

積德

jīdé

verb #28,972

Meanings

1 to accumulate merit
2 to do good deeds
3 to give to charity

Characters

accumulate / store up

virtue / moral merit

Examples

多做好事，积德行善。

Duō zuòhǎo shì, jīdé xíngshàn.

Do more good deeds and accumulate virtue.

老人说，帮助别人就是积德。

Lǎorén shuō, bāngzhù biérén jiùshì jīdé.

The elder said that helping others is accumulating merit.

你就积点德吧，别再欺负人了。

Nǐ jiù jī diǎn dé ba, bié zài qīfu rén le.

Just earn some good karma — stop bullying people.

Tips

culture

积德 is rooted in Buddhist and Taoist beliefs that moral actions accumulate merit (德, dé) that benefits oneself and future generations. The concept underpins much of traditional Chinese philanthropy.

Stroke Order

积 jī

德 dé