Basic Info
- Chinese Idiom: 报仇雪耻 (Bào chóu xuě chǐ)
- Pinyin: bào chóu xuě chǐ
- Literal meaning: “To repay a wrong and wash away shame.”
(报 = to repay / avenge; 仇 = enemy / grievance / wrong; 雪 = to wipe away / cleanse (literally “snow”); 耻 = shame / disgrace)
Also written as “报仇雪恨” (bào chóu xuě hèn) and “复仇雪耻” (fù chóu xuě chǐ).
Figurative Definition
It means to avenge a wrong and wipe out the humiliation that came with it – not merely to retaliate, but to restore one’s honor and dignity after being wronged or disgraced.
It carries a strong sense of justice and restored face: the injury was not only physical or material, but a blow to honor – and “雪耻” (washing away shame) is as important as “报仇” (avenging the wrong).
It can describe:
- A personal vendetta – avenging a family wrong.
- A national cause – recovering territory and honor after defeat.
- A comeback after humiliation – proving oneself after being shamed.
In short: to settle the score and wash away the shame.
Cultural & Historical Origin
This idiom is cited from the Records of the Three Kingdoms · Book of Wu · Biography of Sun Ce (《三国志·吴书·孙策传》), in a commentary by Pei Songzhi (裴松之) quoting the Wu Li (《吴历》):
“收合流散，东据吴会，报仇雪耻，为朝廷外藩。”
“Gather the scattered forces, occupy Wu and Kuaiji in the east, avenge the wrong and wash away the shame, and serve as an outer vassal of the court.”
The context is Sun Ce (孙策), the young warlord who built the foundation of the state of Wu. After his father Sun Jian was killed in battle, Sun Ce gathered loyal followers and set out to avenge his father and restore his family’s honor. The idiom captures that determined, honor-driven mission: not just revenge, but the cleansing of disgrace.
A later literary use appears in Chuke Pai’an Jingqi (《初刻拍案惊奇》) by Ling Mengchu (凌濛初), which contrasts the righteous “报仇雪耻，救难解危” with mere banditry – showing that the idiom can be used to justify honorable vengeance.
Key Lesson
Honor matters – but vengeance can consume you. The idiom honors courage, dignity, and the refusal to accept humiliation. It teaches that being wronged should not mean being broken – there is strength in standing up and restoring one’s name. But it also carries a quiet warning: revenge can become an endless cycle. The wise person knows the difference between restoring justice and being ruled by hatred.
Cultural Note
In modern Chinese, “报仇雪耻” is a formal, dramatic, and often patriotic idiom. It appears in:
- Historical and military writing – describing campaigns to recover lost territory and honor.
- Patriotic discourse – especially in modern Chinese history, describing the desire to wipe out national humiliation.
- Literature and drama – portraying characters driven by honor and revenge.
- Everyday dramatic speech – “我一定要报仇雪耻！” (“I will definitely avenge this and wash away the shame!”)
Its near-synonym is “报仇雪恨” (bào chóu xuě hèn – “to avenge a wrong and wipe out hatred”). Its opposite is “忍气吞声” (rěn qì tūn shēng – “to swallow one’s anger and endure in silence”).
Similar English Expressions
- To avenge a wrong and restore one’s honor – The closest and most complete equivalent.
- To settle the score – To get revenge or pay someone back.
- To wipe away the shame – To erase humiliation.
- To redeem oneself – To restore one’s honor after failure or disgrace.
- To get even – Informal: to take revenge.
- To right a wrong – To correct an injustice (more justice-focused).
- To reclaim one’s honor – To restore dignity after humiliation.
- An eye for an eye – The principle of retaliation (more legal/biblical).
The closest and most natural equivalents are “to avenge a wrong and restore one’s honor,” “to settle the score,” and “to wipe away the shame.”
In short, “报仇雪耻” means repaying a wrong and washing away the shame – a dramatic, honor-driven Chinese idiom for avenging an injury and restoring dignity, and a reminder that while honor is worth defending, vengeance should never become the master of one’s life.
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