公事公办

公事公辦

gōngshì-gōngbàn

idiom #18,803

Meanings

1 to handle things by the book
2 to act in a strictly businesslike manner
3 to follow official procedures without favoritism

Characters

public; official

to handle; to do

Examples

他这个人公事公办，从不给人开后门。

Tā zhège rén gōngshìgōngbàn, cóngbù gěi rén kāihòumén.

He does everything by the book and never gives anyone special treatment.

对不起，我只能公事公办。

Duìbùqǐ, wǒ zhǐnéng gōngshìgōngbàn.

Sorry, I can only handle this through proper channels.

Tips

usage

Can be positive (impartial, fair) or negative (rigid, bureaucratic), depending on context. When someone says 公事公办, they may be signaling they will not bend rules for personal relationships.

Stroke Order

公 gōng

事 shì

办 bàn