When combined, 民族 (people/nation) + 自豪感 (sense of pride) literally translates to “a nation's sense of pride” or “a sense of pride in one's people.”
民族自豪感 is a cornerstone of modern Chinese social and political life. It is actively cultivated through education, state media, and national ceremonies. This emphasis stems from China's modern history, particularly the “century of humiliation” (百年国耻), a period of foreign invasion and internal turmoil from the mid-19th to mid-20th century. The narrative of rising from this period to become a major world power is a primary source of this collective pride. Comparison with Western “Patriotism”: While it can be translated as “patriotism,” there's a key difference. Western, particularly American, patriotism is often tied to abstract ideals like liberty, democracy, and individualism, enshrined in a constitution. One can be a “patriot” while fiercely criticizing the government. 民族自豪感, however, is more collectivist and rooted in a shared cultural and ethnic identity (the 中华民族, or Chinese Nation). It's pride in the people, the long continuous history, the cultural achievements (like calligraphy, cuisine, philosophy), and the tangible results of collective effort (like high-speed rail, poverty alleviation, and the space program). While not always aligned with the government, it is much more closely intertwined with the concept of the state as the representative of the nation's revival and success. This concept is deeply linked to the value of collectivism, where the honor of the group is paramount, and an individual's sense of self-worth is often derived from the successes of the collective nation.
This term is prevalent in both formal and informal contexts.