每天成语
background texture
< 一目了然他山之石 >

按部就班

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

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: àn bù jiù bān
  • English Translation: Following the prescribed order (step-by-step)
  • Idiom Composition: 「按」（To follow or act according to.）＋「部」（Sections or departments (originally referring to the structural divisions of a literary composition).）＋「就」（To take up, approach, or follow.）＋「班」（Order or sequence (originally referring to the arrangement of words and phrases).）
  • Meaning: To handle matters according to a set procedure or plan, proceeding in an orderly and steady fashion. It can also refer to sticking rigidly to old conventions without flexibility.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「按部就班」 contains the following nuances:

  • Steady Progress (Positive/Neutral): This refers to the act of proceeding without haste, taking one step at a time according to a set plan. It is often used to praise a student or employee's methodical approach to building skills or completing complex tasks.
  • Rigid Formalism (Negative): In certain contexts, the idiom implies a lack of innovation. It suggests that a person is merely following old rules or habits and is unable to adapt to new circumstances or think outside the box.

3. Usage

「按部就班」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Project and Work Management: Used to report that a project is progressing smoothly according to plan, or to emphasize that work should be done in an orderly manner without skipping steps.
    • Example:「虽然时间紧迫，但我们必须按部就班地完成每一个阶段的任务。」
      （Although time is tight, we must complete the tasks of each stage step-by-step.)
  • Learning and Skill Acquisition: Used to stress the importance of building a solid foundation and following a logical sequence rather than rushing for results.
    • Example:「学习外语不能急于求成，要按部就班，先打好基础。」
      （When learning a foreign language, one cannot be too eager for success; you must follow the proper sequence and build a solid foundation first.)
  • Criticizing Lack of Flexibility: Used to criticize someone for being too rigid or following a manual blindly when a situation requires a creative or adaptive response.
    • Example:「处理突发事件时不能总是按部就班，需要灵活应变。」
      （When dealing with emergencies, one cannot always follow the manual blindly; flexible responses are necessary.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 新学期的教学工作已经按部就班地开始了。
    （The teaching work for the new semester has already begun in an orderly fashion.）
  2. 他做事一向按部就班，很少出差错。
    （He always follows the prescribed order when working, so he rarely makes mistakes.）
  3. 这种按部就班的生活虽然安稳，但有时候也会觉得乏味。
    （Although this routine life is stable, it can sometimes feel dull.）
  4. 不要总是按部就班，要敢于打破常规。
    （Don't always stick to the old routine; you must have the courage to break conventions.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • This idiom originates from the work *The Art of Writing* (文赋) by the Western Jin dynasty writer Lu Ji (陆机).
  • Originally, it was a literary term describing the process of composition: organizing the 'departments' (部 - bù) or sections of an essay and arranging the 'ranks' (班 - bān) or words in their proper places.
  • Over time, the meaning evolved from literary structure to describe any systematic procedure in daily life or administration.
  • A common mistake in writing this idiom is replacing the character 部 (bù), meaning 'section,' with the homophone 步 (bù), meaning 'step.' While the logic of 'following steps' makes sense, the correct historical form remains 按部就班 (àn bù jiù bān).

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

按部就班 (àn bù jiù bān) describes the act of following a set routine or sequence. It carries two nuances: a positive one, meaning to be methodical and steady, and a negative one, meaning to be unimaginative or stuck in a rut. The interpretation depends on whether the context calls for stability or innovation.

Idiom Essay

àn bù jiù bān
按部就班
Step by Step
yǒu xiē有些shì qíng事情，qí shí其实bù不xū yào需要nǐ你hěn很cōng míng聪明，zhǐ只xū yào需要nǐ你bié别luàn lái乱来。

Some things don't actually require you to be very smart, just that you don't act recklessly.

xiǎng xiàng想象yí gè一个gāng刚jìn进gōng sī公司de的xīn rén新人。

Imagine a newcomer who just joined a company.

dì yī tiān第一天，tā他hěn很zháo jí着急，xiǎng想zhèng míng证明zì jǐ自己yǒu有xiǎng fǎ想法、yǒu有néng lì能力。

On the first day, he was anxious and wanted to prove he had ideas and abilities.

jié guǒ结果huì yì会议hái还méi没tīng听míng bái明白，jiù就kāi shǐ开始tí提jiàn yì建议；liú chéng流程hái还méi没zǒu走wán完，jiù就xiǎng想tiào跳dào到jié lùn结论。

But before he fully understood the meeting, he started giving suggestions; before the process was complete, he wanted to jump to conclusions.

kōng qì空气yī xià zi一下子jiù就jǐn紧le了。

The atmosphere immediately became tense.

hòu lái后来yǒu rén有人tí xǐng提醒tā他yī jù一句：xiān先àn bù jiù bān按部就班。

Later, someone reminded him: first 按部就班.

zhè这sì gè四个zì字lǐ里，zuì最zhòng yào重要de的bú shì不是“màn慢”，ér shì而是“wěn稳”。

In these four characters, the most important is not 'slow', but 'steady'.

àn bù jiù bān按部就班，shuō说de的shì是měi每yī bù一步dōu都yǒu有tā它de的wèi zhì位置，nǐ你xiān先zhàn站duì对wèi zhì位置，zài再wǎng qián往前zǒu走。

按部就班 means every step has its place; you first stand in the right position, then move forward.

bú shì不是yīn wèi因为nǐ你méi没xiǎng fǎ想法，ér shì而是xiàn zài现在hái还bú dào不到nǐ你yòng lì用力de的shí hòu时候。

It's not that you lack ideas, but that it's not yet the time to exert effort.

hěn很duō多rén人huì会bǎ把àn bù jiù bān按部就班lǐ jiě理解chéng成“méi没zhǔ jiàn主见”“bù不chuàng xīn创新”。

Many people misunderstand 按部就班 as 'no opinions' or 'no innovation'.

qí shí其实bú shì不是。

Actually, it's not.

tā它xíng róng形容de的，shì是yī zhǒng一种duì对shùn xù顺序de的zūn zhòng尊重。

It describes a respect for order.

nǐ你zhī dào知道shì qíng事情yǒu有xiān hòu先后，yě也yuàn yì愿意bǎ把jī chǔ基础zuò做hǎo好，ér而bú shì不是yī一kāi shǐ开始jiù就xiǎng想tiào guò跳过。

You know things have a sequence, and you are willing to lay a solid foundation instead of trying to skip ahead from the start.

bǐ rú比如xué xí学习yī mén一门xīn新jì néng技能。

For example, when learning a new skill.

nǐ你dāng rán当然kě yǐ可以zhǎo找jié jìng捷径，dàn但rú guǒ如果lián连zuì最jī běn基本de的cāo zuò操作dōu都bù不shú熟，jiù就jí zhe急着zuò做fù zá复杂de的shì事，zuì hòu最后wǎng wǎng往往yào要huí tóu回头zhòng lái重来。

Of course, you can look for shortcuts, but if you aren't even familiar with the basics and rush into complex tasks, you often have to start over.

zhè shí hòu这时候，shuō说yī jù一句“wǒ men我们xiān先àn bù jiù bān按部就班lái来”，tīng qǐ lái听起来bìng并bù不xiāo jí消极，fǎn ér反而ràng让rén人ān xīn安心。

At this time, saying 'let's 按部就班 first' doesn't sound negative; instead, it reassures people.

bù guò不过，zhè ge这个cí词yě也yǒu有biān jiè边界。

However, this phrase also has limits.

tā它bù不shì hé适合yòng用zài在xū yào需要dǎ pò打破guī zé规则de的shí kè时刻。

It is not suitable for moments when rules need to be broken.

rú guǒ如果dà jiā大家míng míng明明kǎ卡zài在jiù旧fāng fǎ方法lǐ里，zài再qiáng diào强调àn bù jiù bān按部就班，jiù就huì会xiǎn de显得bǎo shǒu保守，shèn zhì甚至yǒu diǎn有点tuī xiè推卸zé rèn责任。

If everyone is stuck in old methods and still emphasizes 按部就班, it can seem conservative or even like shirking responsibility.

suǒ yǐ所以，àn bù jiù bān按部就班bú shì不是tài dù态度wèn tí问题，ér shì而是shí jī时机wèn tí问题。

So, 按部就班 is not about attitude but timing.

tā它shì hé适合zài在gāng刚kāi shǐ开始、zài在dǎ打jī chǔ基础、zài在xū yào需要wěn dìng稳定de的shí hòu时候chū xiàn出现。

It fits when starting out, building foundations, or needing stability.

dāng当nǐ你xīn lǐ心里zhī dào知道，xiàn zài现在zuì最zhòng yào重要de的bú shì不是biǎo xiàn表现，ér shì而是bù不chū cuò出错、bù不yuè xiàn越线、bù不qiǎng pāi抢拍，nà那yī kè一刻，zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语jiù就huì会zì rán自然dì地fú浮shàng lái上来。

When you know in your heart that the most important thing now is not to show off, but not to make mistakes, not to cross lines, not to rush, at that moment, this idiom naturally comes to mind.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

Try creating sentences using '按部就班'!

0/50