心安理得

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: xīn ān lǐ dé
• English Translation: Having a clear conscience, feeling no guilt or shame
• Idiom Composition: 「心」（heart, mind）＋「安」（peaceful, calm）＋「理」（reason, principle）＋「得」（to obtain, to be able to）
• Meaning: A state of feeling peaceful and at ease because one's actions are in accordance with reason and morality. It describes having no guilty conscience or feelings of shame.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「心安理得」 contains the following nuances:

• Alignment with conscience: The feeling that one's actions are consistent with one's own conscience and moral values.
• Confidence in legitimacy: Expresses the conviction that what one has done is right or was unavoidable.
• Mental stability: Indicates a state of mental calmness due to absence of guilt or remorse.
• Self-affirmation: Means having a positive view and acceptance of one's own actions.

3. Usage

「心安理得」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Psychological state after action: Used to describe the feeling of calmness and certainty that one's actions were correct after doing something.
  • Example:「他帮助了那个老人，心里感到心安理得。」
    （He helped the old man and felt at peace with himself.）
• Self-justification: Sometimes used when justifying one's own actions.
  • Example:「虽然他没有得到任何回报，但他知道自己做得对，所以心安理得。」
    （Although he received no reward, he knew he did the right thing, so he felt no guilt.）
• Legitimacy of judgment or decision: Used to emphasize that a judgment or decision is reasonable and justified.
  • Example:「在公正的审判后，法官对判决结果心安理得。」
    （After a fair trial, the judge felt clear conscience about the verdict.）

Additional Examples:

1. 她诚实地完成了工作，所以心安理得地接受了表扬。
   （She completed her work honestly and accepted the praise with a clear conscience.）
2. 他知道自己的行为是出于善意，所以心安理得地面对质疑。
   （He knew his actions were well-intentioned, so he faced the doubts without guilt.）
3. 经过慎重考虑，他做出了这个决定，他觉得心安理得。
   （After careful consideration, he made the decision and felt at peace with himself.）
4. 即使面对批评，她也心安理得，因为她知道自己尽力了。
   （Even when facing criticism, she felt no guilt because she knew she had done her best.）
5. 只要我们心安理得，就不必在意别人的眼光。
   （As long as we have a clear conscience, we don't need to worry about others' opinions.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• 'Xin An Li De' is deeply connected to traditional Confucian values in China. Confucianism emphasizes inner morality and social harmony. Acting according to one's conscience and reason is considered important both for the individual and society.
• Boundary with self-deception: Sometimes, 'Xin An Li De' can be close to self-deception. People may conveniently interpret their actions as justified to ease their conscience.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 问心无愧 (wèn xīn wú kuì): Having no shame when questioning one's own conscience.
  • 理直气壮 (lǐ zhí qì zhuàng): Being confident and assertive because one's reasoning is correct.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 心惊肉跳 (xīn jīng ròu tiào): Being extremely fearful or anxious.
  • 忐忑不安 (tǎn tè bù ān): Being nervous and unsettled.

6. Summary

'Xin An Li De' is an idiom reflecting traditional Chinese moral values. It expresses a peaceful state of mind based not only on having a clear conscience but also on the conviction that one's actions are reasonable and justified. When using this idiom, it is important to understand its Confucian background and be cautious not to fall into self-deception.