义务 (yìwù)

义务 refers to a moral, legal, or social duty or obligation that a person is required or expected to fulfill, often contrasted with 权利 (rights).

Meanings

[noun] duty; obligation; responsibility (something one is morally or legally required to do)
[adjective] obligatory; free of charge; voluntary (in compounds like 义务教育)

Example Sentences

纳税是每个公民应尽的义务，也是支持社会发展的重要方式。 Nàshuì shì měi gè gōngmín yīng jìn de yìwù, yě shì zhīchí shèhuì fāzhǎn de zhòngyào fāngshì. Paying taxes is a duty every citizen should fulfill and an important way to support social development.

父母有义务为子女提供良好的教育和生活条件。 Fùmǔ yǒu yìwù wèi zǐnǚ tígōng liánghǎo de jiàoyù hé shēnghuó tiáojiàn. Parents have an obligation to provide their children with a good education and living conditions.

中国实行九年义务教育，确保每个孩子都能接受基础教育。 Zhōngguó shíxíng jiǔ nián yìwù jiàoyù, quèbǎo měi gè háizi dōu néng jiēshòu jīchǔ jiàoyù. China implements nine years of compulsory education to ensure every child can receive basic education.

作为医生，救死扶伤是他们的职业义务和道德责任。 Zuòwéi yīshēng, jiù sǐ fú shāng shì tāmen de zhíyè yìwù hé dàodé zérèn. As doctors, saving lives and healing the injured is their professional duty and moral responsibility.

她利用业余时间义务为社区老人提供法律咨询。 Tā lìyòng yèyú shíjiān yìwù wèi shèqū lǎorén tígōng fǎlǜ zīxún. She uses her spare time to voluntarily provide legal consultations for elderly people in the community.

权利与义务是相辅相成的，在享有权利的同时，也要承担相应的义务。 Quánlì yǔ yìwù shì xiāng fǔ xiāng chéng de, zài xiǎngyǒu quánlì de tóngshí, yě yào chéngdān xiāngyìng de yìwù. Rights and obligations are complementary; while enjoying rights, one must also fulfill corresponding obligations.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
义务教育	compulsory education
履行义务	to fulfill an obligation/duty
法律义务	legal obligation
道德义务	moral duty
权利与义务	rights and obligations
义务劳动	voluntary labor

Usage Notes

义务 carries both a legal and moral dimension. In legal contexts it refers to duties prescribed by law, while in moral contexts it refers to ethical responsibilities. As an adjective-like modifier in compounds such as 义务教育 (compulsory education) and 义务劳动 (voluntary/unpaid labor), it can mean either "obligatory" or "done without pay."

义务 is frequently paired with its counterpart 权利 (rights) in discussions of citizenship, law, and ethics. The phrase 权利与义务 (rights and obligations) is a standard formulation in political and legal discourse in Chinese.

Memory Hook

义 means "righteousness/duty" and 务 means "affair/task" — 义务 is the "righteous task" you must do, your duty.