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言聽計從

简言听计从 · 繁言聽計從

Mandarin · pinyin yán tīng jì cóng

to see, hear and obey (idiom); to take advice
to take sb at his word

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Characters in this entry

言: yán · words, speech; speak, say; Kangxi radical 149
聽: tīng · hear, listen; understand; obey
計: Look up this written character
從: cóng · from, by, since, whence, through
听: tīng · hear; understand; obey, comply
计: jì · plan, plot; stratagem; scheme
从: cóng · from, by, since, whence, through

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

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Mandarin tones

2–1–4–2 · yan2 ting1 ji4 cong2

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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.

言聽計從 · find source passages ↗ · 言听计从 · 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 always follow somebody's advice; to act upon whatever somebody says; to have implicit faith in somebody

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

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