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毕恭毕敬

畢恭畢敬
bìgōng-bìjìng
idiom #37,236

Meanings

  1. 1 reverent and respectful
  2. 2 extremely deferential
  3. 3 thoroughly polite and respectful

Examples

HSK 6
他对老师毕恭毕敬，从不顶嘴。
Tā duì lǎoshī bìgōngbìjìng, cóngbù dǐngzuǐ.
He is extremely deferential to his teacher and never talks back.
HSK 7-9
下属在领导面前总是毕恭毕敬的。
Xiàshǔ zài lǐngdǎo miànqián zǒngshì bìgōngbìjìng de.
Subordinates are always thoroughly respectful in front of their boss.

Tips

history
Echoes 《诗经·小雅·小弁》: 维桑与梓，必恭敬止 ('Even the mulberry and catalpa trees of one's home must be treated with respect'). The original 必恭敬 ('must be respectful') was later reshaped into the AABB-style 毕恭毕敬 by adding 毕 ('completely') for emphasis on both halves. The four-character form became fixed in vernacular fiction by the late Qing.
usage
Used adverbially or predicatively: 毕恭毕敬地说 (to say something with utmost respect), 态度毕恭毕敬 (an extremely deferential attitude). Often carries a slightly ironic edge in modern writing - describing someone whose respect is excessive or performative, not just sincere.

Stroke Order

毕 bì
恭 gōng
敬 jìng