清规戒律
qīng guī jiè lǜ
monastic rules and precepts; (fig.) rigid rules and conventions
Character by character
清qīng
pure
pure
规guī
rules
rules
戒jiè
precepts
precepts
律lǜ
laws
laws
Example
这家公司的清规戒律太多，连午饭在哪儿吃都有规定，年轻人干不了几个月就走了。
This company has so many petty rules, even about where you eat lunch, that young people leave after a few months.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
清规 are the house rules of a Chan monastery, first said to be written down by the Tang monk Baizhang (百丈); 戒律 are the Buddhist precepts. Literal of monks and nuns (遵守清规戒律); used figuratively it is usually critical, of rules that are too many or too rigid: 打破清规戒律, 不受清规戒律的束缚.
Learn this in Lesson 244 · HSK 9+: 少林寺 (The Shaolin Temple)
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