报应

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报应 [2025/08/10 14:11] – created xiaoer报应 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1
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-====== bàoyìng: 报应 - Retribution, Karma, Comeuppance ====== +
-===== Quick Summary ===== +
-  * **Keywords:** baoying, 报应, Chinese karma, what does baoying mean, retribution in Chinese, Chinese philosophy, comeuppance, cosmic justice, Chinese culture, Buddhism in China, Chinese beliefs +
-  * **Summary:** Discover the deep cultural meaning of the Chinese term **报应 (bàoyìng)**, a word often translated as "karma" or "retribution." This entry explores how `bàoyìng` is more than just "what goes around, comes around"; it's a profound concept rooted in Buddhist philosophy and Chinese folklore, signifying a deserved, often severe, punishment for immoral actions. Learn its cultural significance, how to use it in modern conversation, and how it differs from the casual Western use of "karma." +
-===== Core Meaning ===== +
-  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** bàoyìng +
-  * **Part of Speech:** Noun +
-  * **HSK Level:** N/A (Advanced) +
-  * **Concise Definition:** A form of retribution or cosmic punishment that one receives as a direct consequence of their negative actions. +
-  * **In a Nutshell:** `报应` is the universe's way of settling a moral score. It’s the bad thing that happens to a bad person, which feels like deserved justice. Think of it less like the Western idea of "karma" (which can be minor or even positive) and more like a "comeuppance" or "divine retribution" with a heavy, serious weight. It implies that a cosmic or natural law has been satisfied when someone evil finally suffers. +
-===== Character Breakdown ===== +
-  * **报 (bào):** This character means "to report," "to repay," or "retribution." It carries the sense of a response or a return for a previous action. +
-  * **应 (yìng):** This character means "to respond," "to answer," or "to correspond to." It implies a reaction that is appropriate or fitting for the initial stimulus. +
-  * Together, **报应 (bàoyìng)** literally translates to a "corresponding retribution" or a "repayment that is a response." The idea is that the consequence (the "retribution") directly corresponds to the immorality of the original deed. +
-===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== +
-`报应` is a cornerstone of traditional Chinese moral philosophy, heavily influenced by Buddhist concepts of **[[因果]] (yīnguǒ)**, or cause and effect. However, while `因果` is a neutral principle covering both good and bad actions, `报应` has an overwhelmingly negative connotation and refers almost exclusively to the punishment for wrongdoing. +
-The core belief is that the universe has an inherent moral compass. Good deeds will eventually be rewarded (**善有善报 shàn yǒu shàn bào**), and evil deeds will inevitably lead to suffering (**恶有恶报 è yǒu è bào**). `报应` is the manifestation of the latter. +
-**Comparison to Western "Karma":** +
-In Western cultures, "karma" is often used casually. You might say, "I got a flat tire right after I cut someone off in traffic—that's karma!" This usage is often for minor, immediate inconveniences. +
-In contrast, `报应` is much more severe and profound. It's invoked for serious moral failings: corruption, betrayal, cruelty, and profound injustice. The retribution isn't just a flat tire; it could be the downfall of a corrupt official, a debilitating illness, or the ruin of a family. It implies that a fundamental law of justice, often seen as an extension of Heaven's will (**天理 tiānlǐ**), has been restored. It is not a lighthearted term. +
-===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== +
-`报应` is frequently used in conversations, especially when discussing news, social gossip, or the plots of TV shows and movies. +
-  *   **As an Observation:** It's most commonly used to comment on a misfortune that befalls someone who is widely considered a "bad person." For example, if a notorious scammer is finally arrested and loses everything, people might sigh and say, "这是他的报应" (This is his comeuppance). It carries a strong sense of "they had it coming." +
-  *   **As a Warning or Curse:** In a more personal and confrontational context, it can be used as a threat: "你这样做会遭报应的!" (You'll face retribution for doing this!). This is a serious accusation, implying the other person's actions are morally bankrupt. +
-  *   **In Media:** Chinese dramas, especially historical or wuxia (martial arts) genres, are filled with storylines centered on `报应`. The villain enjoys power and success for most of the story, but the final act is almost always dedicated to their dramatic and satisfying `报应`. +
-The connotation is almost always negative and carries a sense of grim satisfaction that justice has been served. +
-===== Example Sentences ===== +
-  * **Example 1:** +
-    * 那个贪官终于被抓了,真是**报应**啊! +
-    * Pinyin: Nàge tānguān zhōngyú bèi zhuā le, zhēnshi **bàoyìng** a! +
-    * English: That corrupt official was finally caught. It's truly retribution! +
-    * Analysis: This is a classic use of `报应`, expressing satisfaction that a person who abused their power is facing justice. +
-  * **Example 2:** +
-    * 他年轻时对父母不孝,现在自己的孩子也这样对他,很多人说这是**报应**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā niánqīng shí duì fùmǔ bùxiào, xiànzài zìjǐ de háizi yě zhèyàng duì tā, hěnduō rén shuō zhè shì **bàoyìng**. +
-    * English: He was not filial to his parents when he was young, and now his own children treat him the same way. Many people say this is his comeuppance. +
-    * Analysis: This connects `报应` to the core cultural value of filial piety (`孝 xiao`). The retribution is fittingly ironic. +
-  * **Example 3:** +
-    * 你不要再做坏事了,小心遭到**报应**! +
-    * Pinyin: Nǐ búyào zài zuò huàishì le, xiǎoxīn zāodào **bàoyìng**! +
-    * English: Stop doing bad things, be careful or you'll suffer retribution! +
-    * Analysis: Here, `报应` is used as a direct warning. The verb `遭到 (zāodào)` means "to encounter" or "to suffer" and often precedes negative outcomes like `报应`. +
-  * **Example 4:** +
-    * 我相信善有善报,恶有恶报,不是不报,时候未到。这是一种**报应**的循环。 +
-    * Pinyin: Wǒ xiāngxìn shàn yǒu shàn bào, è yǒu è bào, búshì bú bào, shíhou wèi dào. Zhè shì yī zhǒng **bàoyìng** de xúnhuán. +
-    * English: I believe that good is rewarded and evil is punished; if it hasn't happened yet, it's only because the time has not yet come. This is a cycle of retribution. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence uses a famous proverb to explain the philosophy behind `报应`, framing it as an inevitable cycle of justice. +
-  * **Example 5:** +
-    * 看到那个欺负同学的人最终没有朋友,我觉得这就是**报应**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Kàndào nàge qīfù tóngxué de rén zuìzhōng méiyǒu péngyou, wǒ juéde zhè jiùshì **bàoyìng**. +
-    * English: Seeing that the person who bullied his classmates ended up with no friends, I feel like this is justice/retribution. +
-    * Analysis: This applies the concept to a common social situation. The punishment (loneliness) fits the crime (social cruelty). +
-  * **Example 6:** +
-    * 这家公司靠欺骗消费者赚钱,现在破产了,真是大快人心的**报应**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī kào qīpiàn xiāofèizhě zhuànqián, xiànzài pòchǎn le, zhēnshi dàkuàirénxīn de **bàoyìng**. +
-    * English: This company made money by deceiving consumers, and now it's bankrupt. It's a truly satisfying comeuppance. +
-    * Analysis: The phrase `大快人心 (dàkuàirénxīn)` means "very satisfying to the public." It is often paired with `报应` to describe a public villain's downfall. +
-  * **Example 7:** +
-    * 他总是虐待小动物,结果被自己养的狗咬了,邻居们都说是**报应**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā zǒngshì nüèdài xiǎo dòngwù, jiéguǒ bèi zìjǐ yǎng de gǒu yǎo le, línjūmen dōu shuō shì **bàoyìng**. +
-    * English: He always abused small animals, and in the end, he was bitten by his own dog. The neighbors all said it was retribution. +
-    * Analysis: This example shows `报应` as a form of poetic justice, where the source of one's cruelty becomes the instrument of their suffering. +
-  * **Example 8:** +
-    * 无论你现在多么成功,如果你心术不正,早晚会得到**报应**的。 +
-    * Pinyin: Wúlùn nǐ xiànzài duōme chénggōng, rúguǒ nǐ xīnshùbúzhèng, zǎowǎn huì dédào **bàoyìng** de. +
-    * English: No matter how successful you are now, if your heart is not in the right place, sooner or later you will get your retribution. +
-    * Analysis: `心术不正 (xīnshùbúzhèng)` means to have a malicious mind or evil intentions. This sentence emphasizes that `报应` is about moral character, not just outward actions. +
-  * **Example 9:** +
-    * 他一生作恶多端,晚年凄凉,无依无靠,这便是他应得的**报应**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā yīshēng zuò'èduōduān, wǎnnián qīliáng, wúyīwúkào, zhè biàn shì tā yīngdé de **bàoyìng**. +
-    * English: He committed countless evil acts his whole life and was miserable and alone in his old age. This was the retribution he deserved. +
-    * Analysis: `应得的 (yīngdé de)` means "deserved" and strongly reinforces the justice aspect of `报应`. +
-  * **Example 10:** +
-    * 别以为没人知道你做的那些事,老天有眼,**报应**会来的。 +
-    * Pinyin: Bié yǐwéi méirén zhīdào nǐ zuò de nàxiē shì, lǎotiān yǒu yǎn, **bàoyìng** huì lái de. +
-    * English: Don't think nobody knows about the things you've done. Heaven is watching, and retribution will come. +
-    * Analysis: `老天有眼 (lǎotiān yǒu yǎn)` literally means "Old Heaven has eyes" and is a common folk belief expressing that a divine power sees all and ensures justice, which is delivered through `报应`. +
-===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== +
-  * **False Friend: "Karma."** The most common mistake for English speakers is to use `报应` as a direct equivalent for the casual, Westernized "karma." Do not use `报应` for trivial matters. Spilling coffee on yourself is not `报应`; a cruel CEO losing his company to fraud is `报应`. +
-  * **Exclusively Negative:** `报应` is reserved for negative consequences. To talk about the reward for good deeds, you would use a different term like **[[报答]] (bàodá)** (to repay a kindness) or the phrase **善有善报 (shàn yǒu shàn bào)**. +
-    * **Incorrect:** 他帮了很多人,现在很成功,这是好报应。 (He helped many people and is now successful, this is good retribution.) +
-    * **Correct:** 他帮了很多人,现在很成功,真是善有善报。 (He helped many people and is now successful, it's truly a case of good deeds being rewarded.) +
-  * **`报应` vs. `活该` (huógāi):** `活该` means "serves you right" and is much more colloquial and less philosophical. You can say `活该!` when someone who was speeding gets a ticket. `报应` is for when that same person's reckless driving leads to their own serious, life-altering accident years later. `报应` implies a longer, cosmic timeframe, while `活该` is often immediate and less severe. +
-===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== +
-  * [[因果]] (yīnguǒ) - The broader Buddhist principle of "cause and effect." `报应` is the negative "effect" part of this principle. +
-  * [[善有善报,恶有恶报]] (shàn yǒu shàn bào, è yǒu è bào) - A proverb meaning "Good is rewarded with good, evil is punished with evil." This is the full philosophical statement that `报应` is derived from. +
-  * [[活该]] (huógāi) - A colloquial term for "serves you right." It's less formal and less severe than `报应`. +
-  * [[报仇]] (bàochóu) - To take revenge. This is a human action, whereas `报应` is seen as a cosmic or divine action. +
-  * [[报答]] (bàodá) - To repay kindness; to reward someone for their good deeds. This is the positive counterpart to `报应`. +
-  * [[天理]] (tiānlǐ) - "The law of Heaven" or natural justice. The force that is thought to deliver `报应`. +
-  * [[作恶多端]] (zuò'èduōduān) - An idiom meaning "to commit countless evil deeds." A person who is `作恶多端` is a prime candidate for `报应`.+