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遵纪守法 (zūn jì shǒu fǎ) — to abide by the law and observe discipline; law-abiding and disciplined

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning to obey laws and follow rules/discipline — a stronger, more literary version of 遵守 rules, applied especially to public and legal conduct.

idiom
to abide by the law and observe disciplinelaw-abiding and disciplined

Examples

  • 遵纪守法。
    Měi gè gōng mín dōu yīng gāi zūn jì shǒu fǎ.
    Every citizen should abide by the law and observe discipline.
  • 遵纪守法，。
    Tā yì shēng zūn jì shǒu fǎ, cóng bú zuò wéi fǎ de shì.
    He was law-abiding and disciplined all his life, never doing anything illegal.
  • 遵纪守法，。
    Gōng sī yāo qiú yuán gōng zūn jì shǒu fǎ, zūn shǒu guī zhāng zhì dù.
    The company requires employees to abide by the law and observe discipline, and follow rules and regulations.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

遵纪obey discipline
遵zūnobey纪jìdiscipline
动宾Verb + object
守法keep law
守shǒukeep法fǎlaw
动宾Verb + object

The meanings of 遵 and 守 both point to following, while 纪 and 法 name discipline and law, set side by side.

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
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
尊
尊zūn遵zūn
Same sound today

遵 shows 辵, “walk,” beside 尊, an offering of a vessel of wine; the respect in 尊 is linked to obeying.

Open 遵 →

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 紀; 纪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
己
己jǐ紀jì
Same sound today

The traditional form 紀 pairs 糸, silk, with 己 as the sound part; the simplified 纪 is a shorthand.

Open 纪 →

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

  • 宀宀miánroof; building
  • 寸寸cùnhand

守 pairs 宀, a roof or building, with 寸, a hand, to show a hand guarding a place.

Open 守 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesLaw & Justice

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