按部就班 (àn bù jiù bān) — to follow established procedures; to do things…

Definition

Idiom for doing things strictly step-by-step by the book; usually carries a negative tone, suggesting no creativity or flexibility.

idiom

to follow established proceduresto do things step by step (often implying a lack of creativity or flexibility)

Examples

按部就班，。
Tā zuò shì zǒng shì àn bù jiù bān, cóng bú huì chuàng xīn.
He always does things by the book and never innovates.
按部就班，。
Xué xí bù néng zhī àn bù jiù bān, hái yào duō sī kǎo.
Studying can't just follow procedures mechanically; you also need to think more.
按部就班，。
Zhè jiā gōng sī guǎn lǐ àn bù jiù bān, xiào lǜ hěn dī.
This company manages by rote procedures, so efficiency is very low.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

按部follow the order

按ànfollow部bùorder

动宾Verb + object

就班follow the rank

就jiùfollow班bānrank

动宾Verb + object

按 and 就 both mean follow, while 部 and 班 denote ordered steps, so it says to follow established procedures.

Characters in this word

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

扌安按

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

安

安ān按àn

Same sound today

按 has 扌, the hand radical, and 安. The hand part points to an action done with the hand, while 安 supplies the sound and the idea of being at ease, linked to pressing down.

Open 按 →

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

邑邑yì

Sound part声符shēngfú

咅

咅pǒu部bù

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

部 pairs 咅, which gives the sound, with 邑. It originally named a place in today's Gansu.

Open 部 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

享享xiǎng
京京jīng

An older form paired 享, a temple, with 京, a tower, showing sacrifice at a high place; in 就 the temple part was dropped and a right part for going upward was added.

Open 就 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.