严格 (yán gé) — strict; rigorous; stringent | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Strict about rules, requirements, or discipline — most often used for people and standards. 严厉 is harsher and focuses on tone or punishment; 严谨 emphasizes careful, meticulous precision.

strictrigorousstringent

Examples

严格。
Lǎo shī duì wǒ men yāo qiú hěn yán gé.
The teacher is very strict with us.
严格。
Xué xiào de guī zé fēi cháng yán gé.
The school rules are very strict.
严格。
Mā ma duì wǒ de xué xí yāo qiú hěn yán gé.
My mother is very strict about my studies.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

格géstandard

“严” means strict and “格” means standard; the word describes being strict toward standards.

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 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.

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

木各格

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùwood

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

各gè格gé

Same sound today

格 is built from 木 (wood) on the left and 各 on the right, which gives the sound.

Appears in

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