====== míngyù: 名誉 - Reputation, Honor ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** míngyù, mingyu, 名誉, what does mingyu mean, Chinese for reputation, Chinese for honor, fame in Chinese, 名誉 vs 面子, 名誉 vs 声誉, protecting reputation in Chinese, legal reputation, honorary title
  * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of **名誉 (míngyù)**, a crucial Chinese term for "reputation" or "honor." This page explains how `名誉` refers to the formal, public, and often legally protected good name of a person, company, or institution. Learn the critical difference between `名誉` and the more personal concept of `面子 (miànzi)`, and see how to use it correctly in business, legal, and academic contexts through practical examples.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** míngyù
  * **Part of Speech:** Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 6
  * **Concise Definition:** The formal reputation, good name, or honor of an individual or organization.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Think of `名誉` as your official public record of being a good, respectable entity. It's less about social embarrassment (like `面子`) and more about your fundamental character and standing in the community or an industry. Damaging someone's `名誉` is a serious offense, like slander or libel, while having a good `名誉` is a valuable asset for a person, a company, or even a country.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **名 (míng):** Name, fame, title. This character is often described as a combination of `夕 (xī)` - "evening/dusk" and `口 (kǒu)` - "mouth." The ancient interpretation is calling out someone's name with your mouth when it's too dark to see them. It represents identity and what you are called.
  * **誉 (yù):** Praise, reputation, honor. This character is composed of `言 (yán)` - "speech" and `与 (yǔ)` - "to give." Together, it literally means "to give words" of praise.
  * The two characters combine to mean "the praise and honor associated with one's name," which perfectly encapsulates the concept of a publicly acknowledged good reputation.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
In Chinese culture, maintaining a good public image is paramount. While many learners are familiar with [[面子 (miànzi)]], or "face," **`名誉 (míngyù)`** operates on a different, more formal level.
The most crucial distinction to understand is:
  * **`名誉 (míngyù)`** is your **objective, long-term, and public reputation**. It's built over time through actions and character. It can be legally defended. Think of it as a corporation's brand reputation or a scholar's academic standing.
  * **`面子 (miànzi)`** is your **subjective, situational, and social prestige**. It's about not being embarrassed in a specific interaction. It can be "given," "saved," or "lost" in daily life.
For example, if a boss publicly scolds an employee for a minor mistake, the employee loses `面子`. However, if the boss falsely accuses that employee of stealing, the boss is damaging the employee's `名誉`. The first is a social faux pas; the second is a serious attack on character that could warrant legal action (infringing on their `名誉权 - míngyùquán`, or "right to reputation").
This concept highlights the societal value placed on one's public standing and the collective's judgment of an individual's or group's integrity.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
`名誉` is a formal word. You won't hear it used in casual, everyday conversations among friends. Its usage is primarily reserved for more serious or official situations.
=== Legal and Formal Contexts ===
This is the most common context for `名誉`. It is the specific legal term for reputation in cases of defamation.
  * `损害名誉 (sǔnhài míngyù)` - to damage/harm a reputation
  * `侵犯名誉权 (qīnfàn míngyùquán)` - to infringe upon the right to reputation
  * `恢复名誉 (huīfù míngyù)` - to restore/rehabilitate a reputation
=== Business and Academia ===
Companies and institutions have a `名誉` that they must protect.
  * `公司名誉 (gōngsī míngyù)` - company reputation
  * `学校名誉 (xuéxiào míngyù)` - school/university reputation
  * It is also used in titles, like `名誉校长 (míngyù xiàozhǎng)` - Honorary Principal/Chancellor or `名誉主席 (míngyù zhǔxí)` - Honorary Chairman.
=== Personal, but Serious, Contexts ===
While less common, an individual might speak of their `名誉` when their fundamental character or family's good name is at stake. It implies a level of seriousness far beyond just being embarrassed.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:** 
    * 他的谣言严重损害了我的**名誉**。
    * Pinyin: Tā de yáoyán yánzhòng sǔnhài le wǒ de **míngyù**.
    * English: His rumors seriously damaged my reputation.
    * Analysis: This is a classic example of `名誉` used in the context of slander or libel. The damage is to one's fundamental public standing, not just temporary embarrassment.
  * **Example 2:** 
    * 这所大学在学术界有很高的**名誉**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè suǒ dàxué zài xuéshùjiè yǒu hěn gāo de **míngyù**.
    * English: This university has a very high reputation in the academic world.
    * Analysis: Here, `名誉` refers to the long-term, established good name of an institution. [[声誉 (shēngyù)]] could also be used here.
  * **Example 3:** 
    * 为了保护家族的**名誉**，他选择了沉默。
    * Pinyin: Wèile bǎohù jiāzú de **míngyù**, tā xuǎnzé le chénmò.
    * English: In order to protect his family's honor, he chose to remain silent.
    * Analysis: This usage is more personal but still carries a very formal and serious weight, referring to the collective good name of a family over generations.
  * **Example 4:** 
    * 他被授予“**名誉**教授”的称号。
    * Pinyin: Tā bèi shòuyǔ "**míngyù** jiàoshòu" de chēnghào.
    * English: He was awarded the title of "Honorary Professor."
    * Analysis: `名誉` is frequently used to mean "honorary," signifying a title given as an honor rather than through fulfilling the usual requirements.
  * **Example 5:** 
    * 这家公司非常注重自己的商业**名誉**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī fēicháng zhùzhòng zìjǐ de shāngyè **míngyù**.
    * English: This company pays great attention to its business reputation.
    * Analysis: In a business context, `名誉` is closely related to brand integrity and customer trust. Here, it could also be replaced by the more specific [[信誉 (xìnyù)]] (credibility).
  * **Example 6:** 
    * 法院判决被告向原告道歉，为其恢复**名誉**。
    * Pinyin: Fǎyuàn pànjué bèigào xiàng yuángào dàoqiàn, wèi qí huīfù **míngyù**.
    * English: The court ordered the defendant to apologize to the plaintiff to restore his/her reputation.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates the legal power behind `名誉`. Restoring it (`恢复名誉`) is a formal, often court-mandated, process.
  * **Example 7:** 
    * 作为一个医生，没有什么比病人的信任和自己的**名誉**更重要了。
    * Pinyin: Zuòwéi yīgè yīshēng, méiyǒu shénme bǐ bìngrén de xìnrèn hé zìjǐ de **míngyù** gèng zhòngyào le.
    * English: As a doctor, nothing is more important than the trust of patients and one's own professional reputation.
    * Analysis: Highlights `名誉` as a professional asset built on integrity and skill.
  * **Example 8:** 
    * 他不惜一切代价维护自己的**名誉**。
    * Pinyin: Tā bùxī yīqiè dàijià wéihù zìjǐ de **míngyù**.
    * English: He protected his reputation at all costs.
    * Analysis: This phrasing emphasizes the high value placed on one's `名誉`. The verb `维护 (wéihù)` - to maintain/defend - is often paired with `名誉`.
  * **Example 9:** 
    * 那个丑闻让他的**名誉**扫地。
    * Pinyin: Nàge chǒuwén ràng tā de **míngyù** sǎodì.
    * English: That scandal made his reputation sweep the floor (i.e., utterly destroyed his reputation).
    * Analysis: `名誉扫地 (míngyù sǎodì)` is a common and vivid chengyu (idiom) meaning "to have one's reputation dragged through the mud" or "to be completely discredited."
  * **Example 10:** 
    * 他是一位**名誉**主席，不参与日常管理。
    * Pinyin: Tā shì yī wèi **míngyù** zhǔxí, bù cānyù rìcháng guǎnlǐ.
    * English: He is an honorary chairman and does not participate in daily management.
    * Analysis: Another example of `名誉` used as "honorary" to denote a respected but non-operational role.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **Mistaking `名誉` for `面子`:** This is the #1 mistake for learners. Never use `名誉` for everyday social situations.
    * **Incorrect:** `你没来我的派对，让我很没**名誉**。` (Nǐ méi lái wǒ de pàiduì, ràng wǒ hěn méi **míngyù**.)
    * **Reason:** Not attending a party is a social slight that might cause someone to lose face (`没面子 - méi miànzi`), but it doesn't ruin their fundamental reputation.
    * **Correct:** `你没来我的派对，让我很没**面子**。` (Nǐ méi lái wǒ de pàiduì, ràng wǒ hěn méi **miànzi**.)
  * **Confusing `名誉` with "Fame" (`有名`):** `名誉` specifically implies a //good// reputation. Someone can be famous (`有名 - yǒumíng`) but have a terrible `名誉`. For example, a notorious criminal is famous, but you would say he has a `坏名声 (huài míngshēng)` - a bad reputation, not that he lacks `名誉`.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[面子]] (miànzi) - "Face"; social prestige in a specific interaction. The most important contrast to `名誉`.
  * [[声誉]] (shēngyù) - Reputation, prestige. A very close synonym to `名誉` and often interchangeable. `声誉` can sometimes carry a stronger sense of being built up from what people say about you (word-of-mouth).
  * [[名声]] (míngshēng) - Reputation, fame. Also a close synonym, but can be neutral or negative. One can have a `好名声` (good reputation) or a `坏名声` (bad reputation), whereas `名誉` itself is almost always positive.
  * [[荣誉]] (róngyù) - Honor, glory, credit. Refers more to the feeling of being honored or the specific awards/titles that bring glory (e.g., a medal is a type of `荣誉`). `名誉` is the state of having a good name; `荣誉` is the prize for it.
  * [[信誉]] (xìnyù) - Credibility, credit, trustworthiness. A more specific type of reputation related to reliability, especially in business and finance. A company with good `信誉` is trusted to pay its debts.
  * [[诽谤]] (fěibàng) - Slander, defamation. The act of verbally damaging someone's `名誉`.
  * [[名誉权]] (míngyùquán) - Right to reputation. A legal term referring to one's right to not be slandered or libeled.
  * [[名誉教授]] (míngyù jiàoshòu) - Honorary Professor. A common compound word showing `名誉` used to mean "honorary."