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正經八百

简正经八百 · 繁正經八百

Mandarin · pinyin zhèng jīng bā bǎi

very serious
solemn

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Characters in this entry

正: zhèng · right, proper, correct
經: Look up this written character
八: bā · eight; all around, all sides
百: bǎi · one hundred; numerous, many
经: jīng · classic works; pass through

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

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Mandarin tones

4–1–1–3 · zheng4 jing1 ba1 bai3

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4character links1same-tone record

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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.

正經八百 · find source passages ↗ · 正经八百 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

zing3 ging1 baat3 baak3

Cantonese word readings for 正經八百. 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.

adj

(colloquial) deadly serious; solemn
(colloquial, Mainland China) worthy of the name; real; true

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

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