逆行者

nìxíngzhě

noun

Meanings

1 one who rushes toward danger while others flee; frontline hero
2 literally 'the one going against the flow'

Characters

one who / -er suffix

Examples

向所有最美逆行者致敬。

Xiàng suǒyǒu zuì měi nìxíngzhě zhìjìng.

Salute to all the brave frontline heroes.

疫情期间,医护人员是真正的逆行者。

Yìqíng qījiān, yīhù rényuán shì zhēnzhèng de nìxíngzhě.

During the pandemic, medical workers were the real frontline heroes.

消防员永远是火场里的逆行者。

Xiāofángyuán yǒngyuǎn shì huǒchǎng lǐ de nìxíngzhě.

Firefighters are always the ones running into the flames when others run out.

Tips

culture

Originally 逆行 meant 'going the wrong way' on a road (traffic violation). During the Wuhan COVID outbreak in early 2020, state media recast it as a term of highest praise for doctors, nurses and firefighters who 'went against the flow' of evacuation. Named a 2020 Top 10 buzzword by 《咬文嚼字》.

register

Elevated register with strong patriotic overtones. Used in news, tributes and official speeches, not casual chat.

Stroke Order

逆 nì

行 xíng

者 zhě