责无旁贷 zé wú páng dài inescapable responsibility

Explanation

指自己应尽的责任，不能推卸给旁人。比喻理所当然应该承担的责任。

It means the responsibility that one should take and cannot shirk to others. It means the responsibility that one should naturally bear.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，边关告急，敌军入侵。朝廷下令，各州县必须派兵支援。偏远山区的小县令李承恩，收到朝廷的命令后，心里犯了难。他带领的士兵数量很少，如果支援边关，县城将会空虚，难以抵御山贼。可是，如果不支援，他又违抗朝廷命令，将受重罚。李承恩思来想去，最终决定带兵支援边关，他认为保护国家安全是他的责无旁贷的责任，即使牺牲小县的安危也在所不惜。临行前，他写信给邻县，请求他们支援，并做好了最坏的打算。结果，李承恩和他的士兵们英勇作战，保卫了边疆，而邻县也及时赶到支援了县城，化解了危机。李承恩的举动受到了朝廷的嘉奖，人们都称赞他是一个有担当的好官，他的事迹也成为了后人学习的榜样。

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, biān guān gào jí, dí jūn rù qīn. cháoting xià lìng, gè zhōu xiàn bìxū pài bīng zhī yuán. piānyuǎn shānqū de xiǎo xiàn lìng lǐ chéng ēn, shōu dào cháoting de mìng lìng hòu, xīn lǐ fàn le nán. tā dàilǐng de shìbīng shùliàng hěn shǎo, rúguǒ zhī yuán biān guān, xiàn chéng jiāng huì kōngxū, nán yǐ dǐyù shānzéi. kěshì, rúguǒ bù zhī yuán, tā yòu wéikàng cháoting mìng lìng, jiāng shòu zhòng fá. lǐ chéng ēn sī lái xiǎng qù, zuìzhōng juédìng dài bīng zhī yuán biān guān, tā rènwéi bǎohù guójiā ānquán shì tā de zé wú páng dài de zérèn, jíshǐ xīshēng xiǎo xiàn de ānwēi yě zài suǒ bù xī. lín xíng qián, tā xiě xìn gěi lín xiàn, qǐngqiú tāmen zhī yuán, bìng zuò hǎo le zuì huài de dǎsuàn. jiéguǒ, lǐ chéng ēn hé tā de shìbīng men yīngyǒng zuòzhàn, bǎowèi le biānjiāng, ér lín xiàn yě jíshí gǎn dào zhī yuán le xiàn chéng, huà jiě le wēijī. lǐ chéng ēn de jǔdòng shòudào le cháoting de jiǎng jiǎng, rénmen dōu chēngzàn tā shì yīgè yǒu dāng'ān de hǎo guān, tā de shìjì yě chéngwéi le hòurén xuéxí de bǎngyàng.

During the Tang Dynasty, the border was in danger, and enemy troops invaded. The imperial court ordered that each prefecture and county must send troops to support the border. Li Cheng'en, the magistrate of a remote mountain county, received the imperial order and found himself in a dilemma. He led a small number of soldiers, and if he sent them to the border, the county seat would be empty and vulnerable to bandits. But if he did not send them, he would disobey the imperial order and would be severely punished. After much deliberation, Li Cheng'en decided to send his troops to support the border. He believed that protecting national security was his inescapable responsibility, even if it meant sacrificing the safety of his own county. Before leaving, he wrote to neighboring counties to request their support and prepared for the worst. As it turned out, Li Cheng'en and his soldiers fought bravely and defended the border, and the neighboring counties arrived in time to support the county seat, thus averting the crisis. Li Cheng'en's actions were commended by the imperial court, and people praised him as a responsible and capable official. His deeds became a model for future generations to learn from.

Usage

用于说明责任重大，不可推卸。

yòng yú shuōmíng zérèn zhòngdà, bùkě tuīxiè

Used to illustrate that the responsibility is significant and cannot be evaded.

Examples

• 作为一名共产党员，维护国家安全是责无旁贷的责任。

  zuòwèi yī míng gòngchǎndǎng yuán, wéihù guójiā ānquán shì zé wú páng dài de zérèn

  As a member of the Communist Party of China, safeguarding national security is an inescapable responsibility.

• 面对突发的公共卫生事件，医护人员责无旁贷地冲锋在前。

  miànduì tūfā de gōnggòng wèishēng shìjiàn, yīhù rényuán zé wú páng dài dì chōngfēng zài qián

  In the face of sudden public health emergencies, medical staff have an inescapable responsibility to take the lead.

Related Idioms

• 义不容辞

• 当仁不让

• 责无旁贷

Opposite Idioms

• 推卸责任

• 推三阻四