console the people, punish the guilty
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to console the suffering people and punish the guilty ruler; to relieve the oppressed and chastise the tyrant
formalOriginally a classical justification for overthrowing a tyrannical regime, often used in historical or formal contexts to describe a righteous military expedition.
Zhōu周
Wǔ武
wáng王
diào吊
mín民
fá伐
zuì罪
，
shuài率
lǐng领
zhū诸
hóu侯
tuī推
fān翻
le了
bào暴
nüè虐
de的
Shāng商
Zhòu纣
wáng王
。
King Wu of Zhou consoled the people and punished the guilty, leading the feudal lords to overthrow the tyrannical King Zhou of Shang.
Zhè这
zhī支
qǐ起
yì义
jūn军
dǎ打
zhe着
diào吊
mín民
fá伐
zuì罪
de的
qí旗
hào号
，
dé得
dào到
le了
bǎi百
xìng姓
de的
rè热
liè烈
yōng拥
hù护
。
This rebel army marched under the banner of relieving the people and punishing the guilty, winning enthusiastic support from the masses.
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Gǔ古
dài代
shèng圣
wáng王
diào吊
mín民
fá伐
zuì罪
，
bìng并
fēi非
wèi为
le了
gè个
rén人
yě野
xīn心
，
ér而
shì是
wèi为
le了
huī恢
fù复
tiān天
xià下
de的
zhèng正
yì义
。
The ancient sage kings consoled the people and punished the guilty not for personal ambition, but to restore justice to the world.