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寸步不讓

简寸步不让 · 繁寸步不讓

Mandarin · pinyin cùn bù bù ràng

(idiom) not to yield an inch

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Characters in this entry

寸: cùn · inch; small, tiny; Kangxi radical 41
步: bù · step, pace; walk, stroll
不: bù · no, not; un-; negative prefix
讓: Look up this written character
让: ràng · allow, permit, yield, concede

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

4–4–4–4 · cun4 bu4 bu4 rang4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

寸步不讓 · find source passages ↗ · 寸步不让 · find source passages ↗

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) to not make to slightest concession; to not yield even slightly

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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