规矩

規矩

guījǔ

noun HSK 7 #1,736

Meanings

1 rule
2 custom
3 well-behaved
4 proper

Characters

carpenter's square, rule

Examples

你要守规矩。

Nǐ yào shǒu guījǔ.

You need to follow the rules.

这个孩子很规矩。

Zhège háizi hěn guījǔ.

This child is very well-behaved.

每个地方都有自己的规矩。

Měi gè dìfāng dōu yǒu zìjǐ de guījǔ.

Every place has its own rules.

Tips

usage

规矩 can be a noun meaning 'rules/customs' or an adjective meaning 'well-behaved/proper'. As a noun it often appears with 守 (follow) or 懂 (understand).

history

Originally 规 meant 'compass' and 矩 meant 'ruler/square' — the tools used to draw perfect circles and right angles. The meaning extended to 'standards of conduct'.

Stroke Order

规 guī

矩 jǔ