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沒有規矩，何以成方圓

简没有规矩，何以成方圆 · 繁沒有規矩，何以成方圓

Mandarin · pinyin méi yǒu guī ju , hé yǐ chéng fāng yuán

without rules, how can anything be done (idiom); one must follow some rules

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Characters in this entry

沒: méi · not, have not, none; to drown, sink
有: yǒu · have, own, possess; exist
規: Look up this written character
矩: jǔ · carpenter's square, ruler, rule
何: hé · what, why, where, which, how
以: yǐ · by means of; thereby, therefore; consider as; in order to
成: chéng · completed, finished, fixed
方: fāng · a square, rectangle; a region; local
圓: yuán · circle; round, circular; complete
没: méi · not, have not, none; drown, sink
规: guī · rules, regulations, customs, law
圆: yuán · circle; round, circular; complete

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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.

沒有規矩，何以成方圓 · find source passages ↗ · 没有规矩，何以成方圆 · find source passages ↗

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