不严 (bù yán) — not strict, not rigorous, lenient

Definition

Used in formal/written Chinese to describe a person or system (e.g. 监管, 管理, 老师) that fails to enforce rules — 'lax, not strict.' Pairs especially with 监管 and 纪律. Often carries a negative judgment, unlike neutral 放松.

adjective
not strictnot rigorouslenient

Examples

  • 不严，。
    Zhè cì kǎo shì jiān kǎo bù yán, hěn duō xué shēng zuò bì le.
    The exam proctoring was not strict this time, and many students cheated.
  • 不严。
    Gōng sī guǎn lǐ bù yán dǎo zhì xiào lǜ dī xià.
    The company's lax management led to low efficiency.
  • 不严，。
    Tā duì jì lǜ yāo qiú bù yán, suǒ yǐ xià shǔ bú tài pà tā.
    He is not strict about discipline, so his subordinates are not very afraid of him.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 嚴; 严 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
喦喦yántalkative
Sound part声符shēngfú
敢
敢gǎn嚴yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嚴 combines 喦 (talkative) and 敢 (daring); the simplified 严 is a later shorthand.

Open 严 →

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