堂堂正正 (táng táng zhèng zhèng) — (of a person) upright, honorable, open and aboveboard; (of an action or appearance) dignified, impressive, fair and square
Definition
A formal chengyu meaning upright, dignified, and aboveboard — used to praise a person's character or a fair, just action. Stronger and more literary than plain 公正.
bound form
(of a person) uprighthonorableopen and aboveboard(of an action or appearance) dignifiedimpressivefair and square
Examples
- 堂堂正正，。Tā zuò rén táng táng zhèng zhèng, cóng bú zuò kuī xīn shì.He is an upright person and never does anything against his conscience.
- 堂堂正正，。Zhè chǎng bǐ sài wǒ men yíng dé táng táng zhèng zhèng, méi yǒu rèn hé zhēng yì.We won this match fair and square, with no controversy.
- 堂堂正正。Nà zuò jiàn zhù táng táng zhèng zhèng dì chù lì zài guǎng chǎng zhōng yāng.That building stands majestically in the center of the square.
Origin
Reduplicated word构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication
A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.
The repeated 堂 and 正 intensify the sense of grand, upright conduct.
Appears in
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