How do you pronounce 不卑不亢?

不卑不亢 is pronounced as "bù bēi bù kàng" in Mandarin Chinese.

不卑不亢

Q: What does 不卑不亢 mean?

不卑不亢 (bù bēi bù kàng) literally means "Neither humble nor proud" and metaphorically means "Maintain perfect dignified composure". It belongs to the Relationships & Character category of Chinese idioms.

Q: When is 不卑不亢 used?

不卑不亢 is used when The diplomat maintained perfect dignity when negotiating with the superpower representatives.

不卑不亢 (bù bēi bù kàng) literally means “neither humble nor proud” and expresses “maintain perfect dignified composure”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.

Also searched as: bu bei bu kang, bu bei bu kang,不卑不亢 meaning, 不卑不亢 in english

Maintain perfect dignified composure

Pronunciation: bù bēi bù kàng Literal meaning: Neither humble nor proud

Origin & Usage

Neither (不) cringing (卑) nor (不) overbearing (亢). Both halves name a failure of bearing under a difference in rank, and the phrase describes holding the line exactly between them. That is why it belongs to situations with a power gradient — meeting a superior, negotiating from weakness, representing a small party against a large one. Diplomats collect it as high praise, and so does anyone who neither grovelled nor postured when it would have been easy to do either.

Examples

English: "The diplomat maintained perfect dignity when negotiating with the superpower representatives"

Chinese: 这位外交官在与超级大国代表谈判时保持着完美的尊严

Related Chinese Idioms

Similar idioms about relationships & character

坐怀不乱

zuò huái bù luàn

Maintain perfect integrity despite temptation

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完璧归赵

wán bì guī zhào

Return something perfect

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爱毛反裘

ài máo fǎn qiú

Protect the surface, ruin the foundation

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负荆请罪

fù jīng qǐng zuì

Sincerely admit fault and accept consequences

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言而有信

yán ér yǒu xìn

To be true to one's word

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默默无闻

mò mò wú wén

Unknown; working in obscurity

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信口开河

xìn kǒu kāi hé

Talk irresponsibly; make things up

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恻隐之心

cè yǐn zhī xīn

Compassion; empathy for others

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does 不卑不亢 mean in English?

不卑不亢 (bù bēi bù kàng) literally translates to “Neither humble nor proud” and is used to express “Maintain perfect dignified composure”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.