敬 (jìng): This character means “to respect,” “to revere,” or “to honor.” Its ancient form depicts a person kneeling, showing a sense of seriousness and deference. It's the “respect” part of the word.
佩 (pèi): This character originally meant “to wear an accessory,” like a jade pendant on a belt. By extension, it came to mean “to admire” or “to hold in high esteem”—something you would metaphorically “wear” with pride or keep close to you. It's the “admiration” part of the word.
When combined, 敬佩 (jìngpèi) literally means to “respect and admire.” The two characters reinforce each other to create a word signifying a deep, sincere, and earned admiration.
In Chinese culture, which is heavily influenced by Confucian values, showing proper respect is paramount. 敬佩 fits squarely within this framework. It is the kind of respect that is earned, not simply given due to age or rank (which is closer to 尊敬 (zūnjìng)). You feel 敬佩 for a master calligrapher's skill, a teacher's unwavering dedication, or an entrepreneur who built a company from nothing.
Comparison with Western Concepts: In English, we use “admire” and “respect” in many contexts. You can “admire” a nice car or “respect” a traffic law. 敬佩 is more specific and profound. It's almost exclusively used for people and their admirable traits or actions. While you might “respect” your boss because of their position, you would only 敬佩 them if you truly admire their leadership, integrity, and skill. It combines the awe of “admiration” with the deference of “respect,” a combination that is often expressed with separate words in English.