百依百顺 (bǎi yī bǎi shùn) — (idiom) docile and obedient; doing everything one is told

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'obedient in everything' — emphasizes total compliance, often with a slightly negative tone (too compliant, no backbone). Negative: 不要百依百顺. Reduplicated 百…百… intensifies 'in every way'.

idiom
docile and obedientdoing everything one is told

Examples

  • 百依百顺，“”。
    Tā duì lǎo bǎn bǎi yī bǎi shùn, cóng bù gǎn shuō "bù".
    He is docile and obedient to his boss and never dares to say 'no'.
  • 百依百顺，。
    Qī zi duì tā bǎi yī bǎi shùn, jiā lǐ de shì quán tīng tā de.
    His wife is completely obedient to him, letting him decide everything at home.
  • 百依百顺。
    Tā bǎi yī bǎi shùn de xìng gé ràng tā zài rén qún zhōng hěn shòu huān yíng.
    Her docile and obedient personality makes her very popular among people.

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.

百依comply in every way
百bǎievery way依yīcomply
偏正Modifier + head
百顺obey in every way
百bǎievery way顺shùnobey
偏正Modifier + head

百依 and 百顺 together: complying in every way and obeying in every way mean complete docility.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
一一yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái百bǎi
Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

Open 百 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénhuman
Sound part声符shēngfú
衣
衣yī依yī
Same sound today

依 is made from 亻, a person, plus 衣, which gives its sound.

Open 依 →

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
一一yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái百bǎi
Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

Open 百 →

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 順; 顺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān順shùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 順 pairs 川 (river), which gives the sound, with 頁 (head); the picture is a head in a river, following the current. The simplified 顺 is a shorthand.

Open 顺 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.