不苟言笑 (bú) — serious and reserved in manner; taciturn; not given to frivolity
Definition
An idiom for someone who is always serious and reserved — they do not smile or speak casually. Used to describe a stern, unsmiling demeanor, often of authority figures.
idiom
serious and reserved in mannertaciturnnot given to frivolity
Examples
- 不苟言笑，。Tā zhè ge rén bú, hěn shǎo gēn tóng shì kāi wán xiào.He is always serious and rarely jokes with colleagues.
- 不苟言笑，。Lǎo shī yí jìn jiào shì jiù bú, dà jiā dōu bù gǎn shuō huà.As soon as the teacher entered the classroom, he was so serious that everyone dared not speak.
- 不苟言笑，。Zhè wèi jīng lǐ yì zhí bú, dà jiā dōu pà tā.This manager has always been serious and reserved; everyone is afraid of him.
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