BMO  +  63115 Thu, 23 Dec 04 07:55 PM One who rights the wrongs, a defender of justice, do you call this person a righteous person? And what he does is righteousness? If one who runs away from his friends when they need help, how do you call him? BMO Joined on Tue, Aug 17 2004 Full Member 164

	Mister Micawber  +  63153 Fri, 24 Dec 04 12:04 AM Righteousness has nothing to do with action, though action may result from such an attitude. A righteous person has a high or strict sense of moral values. A self-righteous person has too high a sense of self-worth because of his/her righteousness. One who fails to help a friend in distress is called a 'fair-weather friend'. Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,841 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'

	BMO  +  63191 Fri, 24 Dec 04 04:23 AM Thanks. What are the antonyms of righteous and righteousness? Can I say "lack of righteousness?" Thanks. BMO Antonyms

	Mister Micawber  +  63196 Fri, 24 Dec 04 07:03 AM You can. You can also use 'unrighteous' and 'unrighteousness'. Mister Micawber

	BMO  +  63207 Fri, 24 Dec 04 09:34 AM Thanks. It is very hard to find an appropriate word for this Chinese word. It is really not a high moral standard, it is more like social justice. For example: 1. Sort of like Robinhood did for the poor. 2. Loyal to his friends. 3. Help the downtrodden, the poor, the weak. 4. Help a person in distress. 5. Like a defender of social justice. A Chinese dictionary lists all these: Right conduct, righteousness, morality, duty to one's neighbor, public spirit, patriotic, loyal, faithful, integrity, uprightness, righteous indignation, BMO

	Mister Micawber  +  63209 Fri, 24 Dec 04 09:46 AM OK BMO, The adjectives from your dictionary that seem to me to best suit your 5-point definition are 'public-spirited' and 'upright'. There are as you know other adjectives that cover some of the definitions, like 'chivalrous'-- but none I can think of that really cover all. Another adjective that some people use is 'Christian', as in 'that was very Christian of him to give up his weekend and help his neighbors paint their house'. Mister Micawber