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令行禁止
令行禁止
令行禁止
令行禁止
令行禁止
令行禁止
令行禁止
令行禁止
令行禁止
令行禁止

令行禁止 — “Orders are carried out, prohibitions are stopped”

令行禁止 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to act immediately upon receiving an order and stop instantly when prohibited; describing a system where commands are strictly enforced and promptly obeyed, signifying rigorous discipline and efficient execution”. Literally, “Orders are carried out, prohibitions are stopped”.

Frequency

令行禁止 Pronunciation and Pinyin

  • 令lìng
  • 行xíng
  • 禁jìn
  • 止zhǐ

令行禁止 Character Breakdown

CharacterPinyinStrokesMeaning
令
lìng5order, cause, make, season
行
xíng6to walk, act, or a line
禁
jìn13forbid, prohibit, ban, restrain
止
zhǐ4to stop

Example Sentence with 令行禁止

这支救援队伍纪律严明,无论接到什么指令,都能做到令行禁止,迅速响应并完成任务。
This rescue team maintains strict discipline; whatever instructions they receive, they ensure orders are carried out and prohibitions are stopped instantly, responding swiftly and completing their tasks.

Origin and Story of 令行禁止

Towards the end of the Shang Dynasty, King Zhou was a tyrannical and unprincipled ruler, wantonly squandering the people's wealth. Ji Chang knew that King Zhou's reign would not last long, so he contacted various regional lords to prepare for the overthrow of the Shang Dynasty.

Before his death, he summoned his son Ji Fa to his bedside and instructed him that only by ensuring 'orders are carried out and prohibitions are stopped' could he achieve royal dominion.

Ji Fa inherited his father's aspirations, raised an army, and eventually overthrew the rule of the Shang Dynasty.

Idioms Related to 令行禁止

Synonyms of 令行禁止

  • dà大zhāng张qí旗gǔ鼓make a big show with great fanfare
  • léi雷lì厉fēng风xíng行swift and decisive in action

Antonyms of 令行禁止

  • hé和fēng风xì细yǔ雨gentle and accommodating manner
  • wēn温wén文ěr尔yǎ雅gentle, cultivated, and refined

More idioms starting with 令

  • lìng令bù不xū虚xíng行Orders are strictly enforced
  • lìng令rén人zuò作ǒu呕repulsive and sickening
  • lìng令rén人qiè切chǐ齿to make one furious with hatred
  • lìng令rén人fà发zhǐ指make one bristle with indignation
  • lìng令rén人chī吃jīng惊to cause astonishment or surprise
  • lìng令rén人pēn喷fàn饭extremely amusing or ridiculous
  • lìng令rén人hán寒xīn心to deeply disappoint and dishearten
  • lìng令rén人pěng捧fù腹to make one laugh heartily
  • lìng令rén人zhù注mù目to attract attention
  • lìng令rén人mǎn满yì意to cause people to be satisfied
  • lìng令rén人tòng痛xīn心heart-wrenching and deeply regrettable
  • lìng令rén人zhǔ瞩mù目to attract a lot of attention

Questions about 令行禁止

What does 令行禁止 mean?
令行禁止 (lìng xíng jìn zhǐ) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to act immediately upon receiving an order and stop instantly when prohibited; describing a system where commands are strictly enforced and promptly obeyed, signifying rigorous discipline and efficient execution”.
How do you pronounce 令行禁止?
令行禁止 is pronounced lìng xíng jìn zhǐ in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 令行禁止 literally mean?
Literally, 令行禁止 means “Orders are carried out, prohibitions are stopped”. It is used to mean “to act immediately upon receiving an order and stop instantly when prohibited; describing a system where commands are strictly enforced and promptly obeyed, signifying rigorous discipline and efficient execution”.
Where does 令行禁止 come from?
令行禁止 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 令行禁止?
下令行动就立即行动,下令停止就立即停止。形容法令严正,执行认真。
Copy the pinyin for 令行禁止 →Choose tone marks or tone numbers and copy the complete four-character reading.Read Chinese vocabulary and idiom guides →Continue with words, phrases, and idioms explained through natural examples.

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