平铺直叙

píng pū zhí xù

to tell something plainly, without ornament or highlights

Character by character

平píng
flat

铺pū
spread

直zhí
straight

叙xù
narrate

这篇作文平铺直叙，没有重点，读起来有点儿沉闷。

This composition plods along with no highlights and is rather dull to read.

Tone: neutral.

Usually a criticism of writing or a speech that lacks drama. It can also describe a deliberately plain style: 《背影》 is 平铺直叙, and that is its strength.

Learn this in Lesson 222 · HSK 9+: 朱自清的散文 (Zhu Ziqing and the modern essay)

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.