📖 Meaning
To be restrained and serious in one's speech and laughter, never casual or frivolous. It describes a person who maintains a solemn and dignified demeanor at all times. This idiom is synonymous with 不苟言笑, meaning the same thing with the characters in a slightly different order.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom appears in the Ming dynasty collection 'Erke Pai'an Jingqi' (《二刻拍案惊奇》) by Ling Mengchu, in its second chapter. The story features a character named Miaoguan who, adopting the manner of a respected teacher, puts on airs and maintains an excessively solemn demeanor, refusing to speak or laugh casually. The idiom later also appears in Liang Qichao's late Qing dynasty essay 'On Reform: On Early Childhood Education' (《变法通议·论幼学》), where he describes American schoolchildren as being strictly disciplined in every step, never speaking or laughing casually.
💡 Example Usage
他为人言笑不苟，学生们都很敬畏他。
He is always solemn and never speaks or laughs casually, so his students both respect and fear him.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 言笑不苟
- Pinyin: yán xiào bù gǒu
- Literal Translation: speech, laughter, not, careless
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4