名正言顺

名正言順

míngzhèng-yánshùn

idiom #30,614

Meanings

1 legitimate and justified
2 in a proper and rightful manner
3 with a valid claim

Characters

correct; proper

smooth; in order

Examples

HSK 3

他们结婚后，就可以名正言顺地住在一起了。

Tāmen jiéhūn hòu, jiù kěyǐ míngzhèng-yánshùn de zhù zài yìqǐ le.

After they get married, they can legitimately live together.

HSK 6

你是部门主管，名正言顺地可以做这个决定。

Nǐ shì bùmén zhǔguǎn, míngzhèng-yánshùn de kěyǐ zuò zhège juédìng.

You're the department head - you have every right to make this decision.

Tips

history

From Confucius in 《论语·子路》: 「名不正则言不顺，言不顺则事不利」 - 'if names are not correct, speech will not be in order; if speech is not in order, affairs will not succeed.' The original doctrine of 正名 (rectification of names): a ruler must have a legitimate title before his words and actions can carry weight.

usage

Commonly used adverbially with 地 before a verb - 名正言顺地做某事 ('to do something with full legitimacy').

Stroke Order

名 míng

正 zhèng

言 yán

顺 shùn