谨言慎行 (jǐn yán shèn háng) — to be discreet in word and deed; to be cautious in speech and action

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning to be very careful with both words and actions — a stronger, more literary way to say 'watch what you say and do.' Used in writing or admonishment, not casual speech.

idiom
to be discreet in word and deedto be cautious in speech and action

Examples

  • 谨言慎行，。
    Tā shì yí gè jǐn yán shèn háng de rén, cóng bù shuō cuò huà.
    He is a person who is cautious in word and deed, and never says the wrong thing.
  • ，谨言慎行，。
    Zài gōng zuò zhōng, wǒ men yīng gāi jǐn yán shèn háng, bì miǎn rě má fan.
    At work, we should be discreet to avoid trouble.
  • 谨言慎行。
    Fù mǔ cháng cháng jiào yù hái zi yào jǐn yán shèn háng.
    Parents often teach their children to be cautious in words and actions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

谨言take care with words
谨jǐntake care言yánwords
动宾Verb + object
慎行take care with actions
慎shèntake care行xíngactions
动宾Verb + object

谨 and 慎 mean take care, applied to 言 (words) and 行 (actions), so one is discreet in speech and conduct.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 謹; 谨 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
堇
堇jǐn謹jǐn
Same sound today

The traditional form 謹 has 言, speech, beside 堇, which gives the sound; the whole character means to speak cautiously. The simplified 谨 is a shorthand.

Open 谨 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The early form of 言 shows an opening and a mark indicating a location; the location is not described as the source of speech.

Open 言 →

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
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
真
真zhēn慎shèn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 慎, the left part 心 points to the mind or feeling, while the right part 真 supplies the sound.

Open 慎 →

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

  • 彳彳chì
  • 亍亍chù

The shape of 行 originally showed a street intersection, even on both sides. Later it became uneven, with 彳 on the left and 亍 on the right.

Open 行 →

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