"The sense of right and wrong" comes from Mencius, Gongsun Chou I. It refers to the innate human ability to distinguish right from wrong, good from evil, and is one of the core concepts of the Confucian theory of original goodness of human nature. Mencius believed that the hearts of compassion, shame, courtesy and modesty, and right and wrong are the sprouts of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom, respectively, among which "the sense of right and wrong" is the beginning of wisdom. This idiom emphasizes the moral intuition inherent in the human heart for judging right and wrong, rather than mere intellectual judgment. In modern usage, it is often used to describe a person who has clear moral standards and a sense of justice, who can distinguish right from wrong, and who does not follow blindly or confuse black and white. Its emotional tone is generally positive, and it is mostly used for praise or self-reflection, emphasizing inner conscience and reason. In terms of cultural background, it reflects the Confucian emphasis on moral self-awareness and character cultivation, and is connected with concepts such as "innate moral knowledge" and "conscience." It is mostly used in discussions of moral judgment, public opinion, personal cultivation, and similar topics, reminding people to maintain a clear sense of right and wrong.
📝 Example
1. In the face of various rumors online, we should maintain a sense of right and wrong and not easily forward unverified information.
2. He received a good family education from an early age and developed a strong sense of right and wrong, never doing anything against his conscience.