'Xiá kè' literally combines 'xiá' (chivalry, moral courage, justice-driven heroism) and 'kè' (guest, traveler, or outsider). Together, it refers to a wandering martial artist or hero who upholds justice, protects the weak, and operates outside official authority—often found in classical Chinese literature and wuxia fiction. Unlike formal officials or soldiers, the xiá kè answers to personal ethics rather than laws, making them romanticized figures of integrity and self-sacrifice.

This term evokes imagery of sword-wielding wanderers in mountain passes or misty riverside taverns, embodying Confucian benevolence and Daoist independence. While rooted in historical tradition, 'xiá kè' is now largely literary or nostalgic—used in stories, films, and metaphors for modern moral courage. It carries positive connotations but is rarely applied to real people today except playfully or allusively.