约定俗成 (yuē dìng sú chéng) — established by popular usage; customary; conventional
Definition
A chengyu meaning something becomes accepted simply because people use it, not because it's formally written down. Unlike 传统 or 常规, it emphasizes the 'agreed-by-custom' origin of a norm.
phrase
established by popular usagecustomaryconventional
Examples
- 约定俗成，。Zhè zhǒng chēng hu suī rán shì yuē dìng sú chéng de, dàn dà jiā dōu jiē shòu.Although this form of address is established by popular usage, everyone accepts it.
- 约定俗成，。Hěn duō gōng sī zhì dù dōu shì yuē dìng sú chéng de, méi yǒu xiě zài zhǐ shàng.Many company rules are established by popular usage; they aren't written down.
- 约定俗成。yuē dìng sú chéng De lǐ yí guī fàn yǒu shí bǐ fǎ lǜ gèng yǒu xiào.Conventional etiquette norms are sometimes more effective than laws.
Appears in
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