一板一眼
yī bǎn yī yǎn
methodical; by the book; doing everything properly (sometimes too rigidly)
Character by character
一yī
one
one
板bǎn
strong beat
strong beat
一yī
one
one
眼yǎn
weak beat
weak beat
Example
他做事一板一眼，连报销单上的小数点都要核对三遍。
He does everything by the book and checks even the decimal points on an expense claim three times.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
From opera music: the clapper (板) marks the strong beat and the 眼 the weak ones, so a singer who keeps 一板一眼 never misses a beat. Praise for care, or mild teasing for rigidity; 有板有眼 is close.
Learn this in Lesson 100 · HSK 6–7: 京剧 (Peking opera)
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.
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