没有规矩，何以成方圆

沒有規矩，何以成方圓

méiyǒuguījǔ,héyǐchéngfāngyuán

idiom

Meanings

1 without rules, how can anything be done?
2 rules are necessary for order

Characters

carpenter's square, rule

，

to, by means of

to form, become

Examples

HSK 7-9

没有规矩，何以成方圆？公司必须有制度。

Méiyǒu guījǔ, héyǐ chéng fāngyuán? Gōngsī bìxū yǒu zhìdù.

Without rules, how can things take shape? A company must have a system.

HSK 7-9

教育孩子也要讲规矩，没有规矩，何以成方圆。

Jiàoyù háizi yě yào jiǎng guījǔ, méiyǒu guījǔ, héyǐ chéng fāngyuán.

Raising children also requires rules - without them, how can anything take proper form?

Tips

history

Adapted from Mencius 《孟子·离娄上》: '不以规矩，不能成方圆' - without compass and square, you can't make true circles or squares. 规 = compass, 矩 = carpenter's square; together they generalize to 'rules'.

usage

More common in modern usage as 没有规矩，不成方圆. The 何以 form is slightly more literary/rhetorical.

Stroke Order

没 méi

有 yǒu

规 guī

矩 jǔ

何 hé

以 yǐ

成 chéng

方 fāng

圆 yuán