道德 (dàodé) — morality; ethics; moral
HSK 5 | noun/adjective | the principles governing right and wrong conduct
道德 (dàodé)
道德 refers to morality, ethics, and the standards of right and wrong behaviour in society, and is one of the most important terms in Chinese philosophical and social discourse at B2 level.
Meanings
- [noun] morality; ethics; moral principles
- [adjective] moral; ethical (as in a moral person or moral behaviour)
Example Sentences
商业活动必须在法律和道德的双重框架内进行。 Shāngyè huódòng bìxū zài fǎlǜ hé dàodé de shuāngchóng kuàngjià nèi jìnxíng. Business activities must be conducted within the dual framework of law and morality.
医学伦理要求医生始终将患者的福祉置于道德首位。 Yīxué lúnlǐ yāoqiú yīshēng shǐzhōng jiāng huànzhě de fúzhǐ zhìyú dàodé shǒuwèi. Medical ethics requires doctors to always place the patient's wellbeing as the moral priority.
他以高尚的道德品质赢得了所有同事的尊重。 Tā yǐ gāoshàng de dàodé pǐnzhì yíngdéle suǒyǒu tóngshì de zūnzhòng. He earned the respect of all his colleagues through his noble moral character.
社会道德的建设需要家庭、学校和社会共同努力。 Shèhuì dàodé de jiànshè xūyào jiātíng, xuéxiào hé shèhuì gòngtóng nǔlì. Building social morality requires the joint efforts of families, schools, and society.
人工智能的发展提出了许多新的道德挑战。 Réngōng zhìnéng de fāzhǎn tíchūle xǔduō xīn de dàodé tiǎozhàn. The development of artificial intelligence has raised many new ethical challenges.
拒绝诚信欺诈不仅是法律义务，更是道德责任。 Jùjué chéngxìn qīzhà bùjǐn shì fǎlǜ yìwù, gèng shì dàodé zérèn. Refusing to engage in fraud is not only a legal obligation but also a moral responsibility.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 道德标准 (dàodé biāozhǔn) | moral standards |
| 道德责任 (dàodé zérèn) | moral responsibility |
| 道德品质 (dàodé pǐnzhì) | moral character |
| 道德观念 (dàodé guānniàn) | moral concepts/values |
| 道德底线 (dàodé dǐxiàn) | moral bottom line |
| 违背道德 (wéibèi dàodé) | violate morality |
Usage Notes
道德 is a compound of 道 (the Way/principle) and 德 (virtue/virtue in practice), both central concepts in Confucian and Daoist philosophy. In modern usage, 道德 is the everyday word for morality and ethics in social, personal, and professional contexts.
Compare with 伦理 (lúnlǐ, ethics), which is slightly more academic and philosophical, often used in compound terms like 医学伦理 (medical ethics) and 生命伦理 (bioethics). 道德 is more broadly used in everyday moral judgements.
Memory Hook
道 (the Way/path) + 德 (virtue/inner power) = walking the right path with inner virtue.