đạo lí
Definition
- Noun:
- Morality; ethical principles: The fundamental principles concerning right and wrong behavior, good conduct, and virtuous living within a society or philosophical system.
- Moral truth; moral reason: A principle or truth that is considered a foundational guideline for ethical life and just human relations.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông ấy là người sống có đạo lí. (He is a person who lives by moral principles.)
- Hành động đó trái với đạo lí thông thường. (That action goes against common morality.)
- Câu chuyện ngụ ngôn thường chứa đựng một bài học về đạo lí. (A fable often contains a lesson about morality.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "đạo lí" often implies a universal, timeless standard of right conduct, as opposed to temporary laws or customs. It is closely tied to concepts of natural justice and conscience.
- It can be used in a more specific sense to refer to the moral of a story or the underlying ethical lesson.
Variants and Related Words
- Đạo đức (n): ethics, morals. This is a closely related term but can be broader, encompassing both the principles () and the practice/virtue () itself.
- Luân lí (n): morals, morality. Often used similarly to , but can sometimes refer more specifically to social morals or conventions.
Synonyms
- Morality: Principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong.
- Ethics: Moral principles that govern a person's behavior.
- Principles: Fundamental truths or propositions that serve as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Lẽ phải đạo lí: Moral rightness; what is morally right and reasonable.
- Phải biết phân biệt lẽ phải đạo lí. (One must know how to distinguish moral rightness.)
- Trái đạo lí: Immoral; contrary to morality.
- Lừa dối người già là trái đạo lí. (Deceiving the elderly is immoral.)