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井井有条

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo
  • English Translation: In perfect order (methodical and organized)
  • Idiom Composition: 井井Orderly and neat (evoking the grid-like partitions of ancient fields)To have; to possessOrder, logic, or sequence
  • Meaning: A complimentary idiom describing things that are extremely orderly, neat, and without any confusion. It is used to praise the tidiness of a room, the efficiency of work procedures, or the logical structure of a speech.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

井井有条 contains the following nuances:

  • Visual Tidiness: Refers to physical objects being neatly arranged rather than scattered. It is the go-to phrase for describing a clean room or desk.
  • Abstract Order: Beyond physical space, it applies to systems, administrative processing, or the flow of an argument being logical and systematic.

3. Usage

井井有条 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Organization and Tidiness: The most common usage, describing rooms, documents, or warehouses that are neatly arranged.
    • Example:虽然房间不大,但他收拾得井井有条
      Although the room is not large, he keeps it in perfect order.)
  • Business and Management: Used to praise work processes or organizational management that run smoothly without confusion.
    • Example:新来的经理把公司的业务管理得井井有条
      The new manager has organized the company's operations methodically.)
  • Speech and Logic: Describes content or writing that is logical, structured, and easy to follow.
    • Example:他讲起道理来井井有条,让人不得不信服。
      When he explains his reasoning, it is so well-organized that one cannot help but be convinced.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 图书馆的书籍分类摆放,井井有条
    The books in the library are categorized and placed in perfect order.
  2. 不管遇到多大的麻烦,她总能把事情处理得井井有条
    No matter how much trouble she encounters, she can always handle things in an orderly fashion.
  3. 这场大型活动的现场秩序维持得井井有条
    The order at the scene of this large-scale event was maintained perfectly.
  4. 妈妈把家里的琐事安排得井井有条
    Mother handles the household chores with great organization.

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Origin: The term 井井 (jǐng jǐng) is derived from the ancient Chinese land system known as the Well-Field System (井田制 - jǐng tián zhì). In this system, land was divided into nine squares resembling the character 井 (jǐng), which became a lasting metaphor for things being neatly partitioned and orderly.
  • Source: This expression traces back to the Xunzi (荀子), specifically the 'Ru Xiao' (儒效) chapter, which describes something as '井井兮其有理也' (jǐng jǐng xī qí yǒu lǐ yě), meaning 'orderly and possessing logic.'
  • Modern Nuance: Today, it is a very common and positive expression used in both daily life and professional settings to praise someone's meticulousness or high management capability.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

井井有条 (jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo) is a versatile idiom used to describe anything from a tidy desk to well-managed business operations. The visual anchor is the character 井 (jǐng), which represents neatly partitioned fields. It is most frequently used as a complement, such as in the phrase 整理得井井有条 (zhěnglǐ de jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo), meaning 'organized in a perfectly orderly fashion.'

Idiom Essay

jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo
井井有条
Orderly and Methodical
yǒu méi yǒu有没有guòzhè yàng这样dejīng yàn经验

Have you ever had such an experience?

zhōu mò周末yí gè一个péng yǒu朋友jiāzuò kè做客

On the weekend, you visit a friend's house.

gāngjìn mén进门huìfā xiàn发现azhèdì fāng地方hǎo xiàng好像shén me什么dōuyǒudànyòugǎn jué感觉bú dào不到luàn

As soon as you enter, you notice that the place seems to have everything, yet it doesn't feel messy.

yě xǔ也许deshū zhuō书桌shàngbǐ tǒng笔筒fàngzhebù tóng不同yán sè颜色dedànměiyī zhī一支bǐ jiān笔尖dōucháoshànghǎo xiàng好像zhàn duì站队yī yàng一样

Maybe on his desk, there are pen holders with pens of different colors, but each pen tip points upward, as if standing in line.

wén jiàn文件duīzàijiǎo luò角落dànzǐ xì仔细kànměiyí gè一个dàng àn hé档案盒shàngdōuyǒubiāo qiān标签ér qiě而且biāo qiān标签decháo xiàng朝向dōushìyí zhì一致de

Files are piled in the corner, but if you look closely, each file box has a label, and all the labels face the same direction.

xīn lǐ心里huìxiǎngzhè ge这个rénzuò shì做事zhēnxì zhì细致

You think to yourself: this person is really meticulous.

zhè shí hòu这时候jiùkě yǐ可以shuōjiā lǐ家里zhěng lǐ整理jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo井井有条

At this moment, you can say: he has organized his home 井井有条.

jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo井井有条zhè ge这个zhòng diǎn重点bú shì不是zhěng qí整齐ér shì而是yǒu tiáo lǐ有条理

The key point of the term “井井有条” is not just 'neatness' but 'having order and structure'.

hěnduōdōng xī东西duīzàiyì qǐ一起kě yǐ可以shìzhěng qí整齐debǐ rú比如yī duī一堆luòqǐ lái起来depán zi盘子

Many things piled together can also be neat, like a stack of plates.

dànjǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo井井有条qiáng diào强调deshìjié gòu结构gǎnguī huà规划xìng

But “井井有条” emphasizes a sense of structure and planning.

jiùxiàngyí gè一个gāo xiào高效yùn zhuàn运转dexì tǒng系统huò zhě或者yī zhāng一张qīng xī清晰dedì tú地图

It’s like a highly efficient system or a clear map.

suǒ yǐ所以yòngzhè ge这个deshí hòu时候wǒ men我们bù jǐn不仅zhǐyí gè一个jié guǒ结果gèngzhǐyī zhǒng一种néng lì能力fù zá复杂deshì qíng事情lǐ shùn理顺denéng lì能力

So when we use this term, we refer not only to a result but also to an ability: the ability to sort out complex matters.

xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下deyī wèi一位tóng shì同事

Imagine one of your colleagues.

fù zé负责yí gè一个hěndexiàng mù项目shè jí涉及hěnduōbù mén部门

He is responsible for a large project involving many departments.

dànměi cì每次kāi huì开会dōunénghěnkuàizhǎo dào找到xū yào需要dewén jiàn文件qīng chǔ清楚shuō míng说明gōng zuò工作dejìn dù进度xià yī bù下一步jì huà计划

But every meeting, he can quickly find the needed documents and clearly explain the progress and next steps.

wènrèn hé任何xì jié细节dōunéngbù huāng bù luàn不慌不乱huí dá回答

If you ask him any detail, he can answer calmly and confidently.

zhè shí hòu这时候wǒ men我们yàozàn měi赞美shuōzhè ge这个réntiáo lǐ条理qīng chǔ清楚dāng rán当然kě yǐ可以

At this time, we can praise him by saying 'he is very organized,' which is fine.

dànrú guǒ shuō如果说zhè ge这个xiàng mù项目guǎn lǐ管理jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo井井有条fèn liàng分量huà miàn画面gǎnjiùwán quán完全bù tóng不同le

But if we say 'he manages this project 井井有条,' the weight and imagery are completely different.

àn shì暗示zhezhè ge这个gōng zuò工作běn lái本来kě néng可能hěnluàndànyòngzì jǐ自己defāng fǎ方法měiyī bù fèn一部分dōuān pái安排zàilezhèng què正确dewèi zhì位置shàngxiàngqí pán棋盘shàngdeqí zi棋子yī yàng一样

It implies that the work could have been chaotic, but he used his own method to arrange every part in the right place, like pieces on a chessboard.

suǒ yǐ所以guān yú关于jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo井井有条zuìzhòng yào重要depàn duàn判断shìmiáo xiě描写debú shì不是bù luàn不乱ér shì而是yǒuxì tǒng系统zhuī sù追溯dezhì xù秩序

Therefore, the most important judgment about “井井有条” is: it describes not 'not messy' but 'a systematic, traceable order'.

jì zhù记住rú guǒ如果zhǐ shì只是xiǎngshuōdewò shì卧室hěngān jìng干净yòngzhěng jié整洁huògān jìng干净jiùgòule

Remember, if you just want to say 'my bedroom is clean,' using 'tidy' or 'clean' is enough.

zhǐ yǒu只有dāngzhè zhǒng这种zhěng jié整洁shìlái zì来自yī zhǒng一种luó jí逻辑yī zhǒng一种fāng fǎ方法deguī huà规划shícáilún dào轮到jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo井井有条dēng cháng登场

Only when this tidiness comes from a logic or method of planning does “井井有条” come into play.

dàizheyī zhǒng一种zàn tàn赞叹deyǔ qì语气bù jǐn不仅zuò dào做到leháizuòhěncōng míng聪明

It carries a tone of admiration: you not only did it, but you did it smartly.

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造句练习📝

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