矩 (jǔ): carpenter's square

Meanings

1 carpenter's square
2 rule
3 regulation
4 pattern

Characters

矩

jǔ

carpenter's square; rule

Examples

没有规矩，不成方圆。

Méiyǒu guījǔ, bùchéng fāngyuán.

Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. (proverb)

他做事很循规蹈矩。

Tā zuòshì hěn xúnguīdǎojǔ.

He does things by the book.

Tips

history

Originally a carpenter's L-shaped tool for measuring right angles (compare 规, the compass). Together 规矩 became the word for 'rules'. The proverb 没有规矩不成方圆 (without compass and square you can't make circles and squares) is one of the most-quoted Chinese sayings.

Components

radical

矢 shǐ

arrow

Left arrow radical — the indexing radical. Pictograph of an arrow with feathered fletching. Anchors 矩 in the straightness/measurement family alongside 矫 straighten, 短 short, 知 know. The link: an arrow has a true, straight line — the same quality a carpenter's square enforces in joinery.

phonetic

巨 jù

huge; carpenter's square (here phonetic + semantic)

Right 巨 supplies the sound: jù → jǔ with tone shift. 巨 originally depicted a craftsman's L-shaped measuring tool — the very thing 矩 names. A doubled match: the phonetic IS pictographically the square, and 矩 specializes that meaning. From the physical square came figurative 'rule, pattern' (规矩 social norms).