wěi

韪

Character · Adjective · NounTraditional韙

correct; right (used in 不韪)

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

2 senses · 3 examples
1.

adjective

correct; right; proper

literary

Literary and classical usage; rarely used as a standalone word in modern Chinese.

Mào冒
tiān天
xià下
zhī之
dà大
bù不
wěi韪
 。

To risk universal condemnation; to fly in the face of the will of the people.

2.

noun

fault; mistake; error (used in 不韪)

literary

Only occurs in the compound 不韪 (bùwěi), meaning 'fault' or 'error'. The phrase 冒天下之大不韪 is a common idiom meaning 'to risk universal condemnation'.

Cǐ此
nǎi乃
jūn君
zǐ子
zhī之
dà大
bù不
wěi韪
yě也
 。

This is a major fault of a gentleman.

Shéi谁
gǎn敢
mào冒
tiān天
xià下
zhī之
dà大
bù不
wěi韪
 ？

Who dares risk universal condemnation?