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敬而远之 (jìng ér yuǎn zhī) — to keep a respectful distance; to stay away while remaining polite (idiom)

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning 'to keep a respectful distance' — you show outward respect or politeness while actually avoiding someone or something (e.g. gossips, sensitive topics). The stance is not hostile, just guarded.

phrase
to keep a respectful distanceto stay away while remaining polite (idiom)

Examples

  • 敬而远之。
    Tā duì nà xiē ài bān nòng shì fēi de tóng shì zǒng shì jìng ér yuǎn zhī.
    He always keeps a respectful distance from those colleagues who like to gossip.
  • ，敬而远之。
    Zhè zhǒng huà tí tài mǐn gǎn, dà jiā zuì hǎo jìng ér yuǎn zhī.
    This kind of topic is too sensitive; everyone had better keep a respectful distance.
  • ，敬而远之。
    Suī rán wǒ bù tóng yì tā de zuò fǎ, dàn yě zhǐ néng jìng ér yuǎn zhī.
    Although I don't agree with his approach, I can only keep a respectful distance.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

  • 茍茍jìkneeling person or sitting dog
  • 攴攴pūhand holding a stick, authority

敬 is possibly formed from 茍, a kneeling person or sitting dog, and 攴, a hand holding a stick.

Open 敬 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 而 is a picture of a beard.

Open 而 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
元
元yuán远yuǎn
Same sound today

远 combines 辶, meaning walk, with 元, used for its sound.

Open 远 →

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

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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