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循規蹈矩

简循规蹈矩 · 繁循規蹈矩

Mandarin · pinyin xún guī dǎo jǔ

to follow the compass and go with the set square (idiom); to follow the rules inflexibly
to act according to convention

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Characters in this entry

循: xún · obey, comply with, follow
規: Look up this written character
蹈: dǎo · stamp feet; dance
矩: jǔ · carpenter's square, ruler, rule
规: guī · rules, regulations, customs, law

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

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Mandarin tones

2–1–3–3 · xun2 gui1 dao3 ju3

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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.

循規蹈矩 · find source passages ↗ · 循规蹈矩 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

ceon4 kwai1 dou6 geoi2

Cantonese word readings for 循規蹈矩. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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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 keep on the straight and narrow; to obey rules and laws

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

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