其实奉养父母体现的是一种懂得饮水思源、知恩图报的基本德行，这是为什么“不孝”在中国社会被视为一种无德而遭受批判，但孝行必须发自内心，否则意义不大。除此之外，孝道还有更深一层的意义，就是不使父母蒙羞。
qíshí fèngyǎng fùmǔ tǐxiàn de shì yīzhǒng dǒngde yǐnshuǐsīyuán 、zhīēntúbal4 de jīběn déxing ，zhè shì wèishénme “bù xiào ”zài Zhōngguó shèhuì bèi shì wèi yīzhǒng wú dé ér zāoshòu pīpàn ，dàn xiàoxíng bìxū fāzì nèixīn ，fǒuzé yìyì bùdà 。chú cǐ zhīwài ，xiàodào háiyǒu gèng shēn yī céng de yìyì ，jiùshì bù shǐ fùmǔ méngxiū 。
Actually looking after your parents embodies the virtues of knowing which side your bread is buttered on and to repaying kindnesses done to you. This is why being "unfilial" is a criticism suffered by those that are seen to be without virtue, but filial behavior should come from the heart, otherwise it doesn't mean much. Apart from this, filial piety has a deeper level of significance, which is to not let your parents shame.