赏罚分明

shǎng fá fēn míng

strict and fair in giving rewards and punishments

Character by character

赏shǎng
reward

罚fá
punish

分fēn
distinct

明míng
clear

新来的经理赏罚分明，谁干得好，当月就发奖金。

The new manager is scrupulously fair with rewards and penalties: whoever does well gets a bonus that very month.

Tone: positive (praise).

Praise for a ruler, manager, coach or parent who rewards merit and punishes faults without favouritism. The opposite is 赏罚不明.

Learn this in Lesson 248 · HSK 9+: 城隍与阎王 (City gods and the king of hell)

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.