按部就班
按部就班 (àn bù jiù bān) literally means “follow the categories, fall into the order” and expresses “follow established procedures; step by step”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: an bu jiu ban, an bu jiu ban,按部就班 meaning, 按部就班 in english
Follow established procedures; step by step
Pronunciation: àn bù jiù bān Literal meaning: Follow the categories, fall into the order
Origin & Usage
Lu Ji, writing on composition, describes the writer choosing meanings according to (按) their section (部) and settling words into (就) their proper rank (班) — the vocabulary is that of officials arranged by grade. The phrase therefore began as an account of good order in writing and moved outward to procedure in general. Both senses are live: approving of somebody working through a process properly, impatient with somebody doing exactly that when the situation called for improvisation.
Examples
English: "The project proceeded methodically through each phase."
Chinese: 项目按部就班地进行每个阶段。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
按图索骥
àn tú suǒ jì
Rigidly following outdated methods
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班门弄斧
bān mén nòng fǔ
Showing amateur skills to masters
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长话短说
cháng huà duǎn shuō
Make a long story short
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道听途说
dào tīng tú shuō
Unreliable information from casual hearsay
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拐弯抹角
guǎi wān mò jiǎo
Speak or act in deliberately indirect manner
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名副其实
míng fù qí shí
Living up to one's name or reputation
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大同小异
dà tóng xiǎo yì
Essentially the same with minor differences
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轻而易举
qīng ér yì jǔ
Easy; effortless
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 按部就班 mean in English?
按部就班 (àn bù jiù bān) literally translates to “Follow the categories, fall into the order” and is used to express “Follow established procedures; step by step”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 按部就班 used?
Situation: The project proceeded methodically through each phase.
What is the pinyin for 按部就班?
The pinyin pronunciation for 按部就班 is “àn bù jiù bān”.