📖 Meaning
To carry out orders with the utmost care and strict obedience, daring not to deviate in the slightest. It describes someone who follows instructions precisely and conscientiously.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase comes from a memorial inscription by the Ming dynasty scholar-official Li Dongyang, titled 'Inscription on the Reverse of the Imperial Edict Bestowing the Title of Junior Preceptor Upon My Late Father.' Li Dongyang wrote that he received and obeyed imperial commands with the utmost care and reverence. The expression conveys a sense of dutiful, scrupulous compliance with authority.
💡 Example Usage
将士们奉命惟谨，连夜加固了城墙防线。
The soldiers carried out their orders with scrupulous care, reinforcing the city walls overnight.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 奉命惟谨
- Pinyin: fèng mìng wéi jǐn
- Literal Translation: receive, command, only, careful
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4