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不偏不倚 (bù piān bù yǐ) — impartial, unbiased, fair; (of position) exactly centered, straight

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'completely impartial' — used for judgments, attitudes, or decisions that are scrupulously fair. Extends literally to physical placement: exactly centered or straight, never tilted.

idiom
impartialunbiasedfair(of position) exactly centeredstraight

Examples

  • 不偏不倚。
    Fǎ guān bì xū bǎo chí bù piān bù yǐ de tài dù.
    A judge must maintain an impartial attitude.
  • 不偏不倚。
    Tā zài zhēng lùn zhōng shǐ zhōng zuò dào bù piān bù yǐ.
    He remained impartial throughout the argument.
  • 不偏不倚，。
    Zhè bǎ yǐ zi fàng dé bù piān bù yǐ, bú huì dǎo.
    This chair is placed exactly straight; it won't fall.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

不偏not biased
不bùnot偏piānbiased
偏正Modifier + head
不倚not leaning
不bùnot倚yǐleaning
偏正Modifier + head

“不偏” and “不倚” stand side by side, giving an even, impartial sense.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
扁
扁biǎn偏piān
Same sound today

偏 combines 亻 (人, a person) with 扁, which gives the sound.

Open 偏 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
奇
奇qí倚yǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

倚 has 亻, a form of 人 (person), on the left and 奇 (qí) on the right; 奇 gives the sound.

Open 倚 →
Appears in
Attitudes & OpinionsIdioms & Set Phrases

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