不偏不倚
bù piān bù yǐ
impartial; even-handed; (also) dead centre, squarely
Character by character
不bù
not
not
偏piān
lean
lean
不bù
not
not
倚yǐ
tilt
tilt
Example
裁判必须不偏不倚，对两支球队一视同仁。
The referee must be impartial and treat both teams exactly alike.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
Zhu Xi glossed the 中 of 中庸 as 不偏不倚、无过不及 (leaning to neither side, neither too much nor too little). Of judges, reporting and mediators; also literally, of something landing squarely on target: 球不偏不倚落在线上.
Learn this in Lesson 252 · HSK 9+: 林语堂《吾国与吾民》 (Lin Yutang’s My Country and My People)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
Open the lesson →