不拘一格
bù jū yī gé
not bound by any one pattern; unconventional; of every kind
Character by character
不bù
not
not
拘jū
confined
confined
一yī
one
one
格gé
pattern
pattern
Example
公司用人不拘一格，只要有真本事，学历高低并不重要。
The company is open-minded about whom it hires: as long as you really can do the job, your qualifications matter little.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
From the Qing poet 龚自珍’s 《己亥杂诗》 (1839): 我劝天公重抖擞，不拘一格降人才, “I urge Heaven to rouse itself once more and send down talent of every kind”. Typical uses: 不拘一格降人才／用人才, and of style: 风格不拘一格, 不拘一格的设计.
Learn this in Lesson 232 · HSK 9+: 超级女声 (Super Girl: the show that taught China to vote)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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