不动声色

不動聲色
bùdòngshēngsè
idiom #30,888

Meanings

  1. 1 not a word or movement
  2. 2 remaining calm and collected
  3. 3 without batting an eyelid

Examples

Tīng dào zhège huài xiāoxī, tā bùdòngshēngsè, jìxù gōngzuò.
On hearing the bad news, he showed no reaction and kept working.
Tā bùdòngshēngsè de guānchá zhe zhōuwéi de yíqiè.
She quietly observed everything around her without letting anything show.

Tips

history
From Ouyang Xiu's Song-dynasty 《》: '不动声色天下泰山。' — a great minister brings the realm to the stability of Mount Tai without betraying a ripple in voice or expression.
usage
Strong positive or neutral tone — admirable composure, especially under pressure or when planning in secret. Often adverbial with : '不动声色进行'. Contrast with (joy shows on the face).

Stroke Order

dòng
shēng