Chinese idiom · 成语
义薄云天
Meaning
Righteousness reaches the clouds; lofty virtue.
Character by character
Origin and story
Literary praiseShen Yue's discussion of literary history in the Songshu (宋書), following Xie Lingyun's biography, praises the line of writing associated with Qu Yuan, Song Yu, Jia Yi, and Sima Xiangru. Their beautiful language is paired with lofty meaning or principle that seems to rise to the clouds. The wording there is 高义薄云天, a close antecedent of the shorter idiom.
薄 here means to approach or reach, not to be thin. The literary image later expresses extraordinarily high integrity, loyalty, or a sense of justice. It is strong praise, often associated with heroic character; the source passage itself is literary criticism, not an account of a particular hero rescuing a friend.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
朋友陷入困境时，他不顾自己的损失伸出援手，真可谓义薄云天。
When his friend was in trouble, he helped despite the cost to himself—a remarkable act of loyalty.
Elevated praise for exceptional loyalty or righteousness, not a routine small favor.