负荆请罪

負荊請罪

fùjīngqǐngzuì

idiom #63,562

Meanings

1 to bear the birch and ask for punishment
2 to offer a humble, sincere apology

Characters

to carry on the back

thorny birch rod

punishment / guilt

Examples

他知道自己错了，主动去负荆请罪。

Tā zhīdào zìjǐ cuò le, zhǔdòng qù fùjīngqǐngzuì.

Knowing he was wrong, he went to apologize humbly.

老王负荆请罪，求朋友原谅自己之前的误会。

Lǎo Wáng fùjīngqǐngzuì, qiú péngyou yuánliàng zìjǐ zhīqián de wùhuì.

Lao Wang offered a sincere apology and begged his friend to forgive the earlier misunderstanding.

Tips

history

From 《史记·廉颇蔺相如列传》: Warring States general Lian Po (廉颇) resented minister Lin Xiangru (蔺相如) for outranking him. On realizing Lin had put the state first, Lian stripped to the waist, carried thorny birch rods on his back as instruments of his own flogging, and went to Lin's gate to beg forgiveness.

Stroke Order

负 fù

荆 jīng

请 qǐng

罪 zuì