原封不动
yuán fēng bù dòng
untouched; left exactly as it was
Character by character
原yuán
original
original
封fēng
seal
seal
不bù
not
not
动dòng
moved
moved
Example
我借给他的书，他原封不动地还了回来，看样子一页也没翻过。
He gave back the book I lent him exactly as it was; by the look of it he never turned a page.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
The picture is a seal on a letter or parcel that nobody has broken. Used as an adverbial with 地 (原封不动地退回、搬过来、照抄) or as a predicate (房间还原封不动). Said of tombs, rooms and goods, and critically of copying: 把国外的做法原封不动地照搬过来.
Learn this in Lesson 175 · HSK 7–9: 马王堆 (The tombs of Mawangdui)
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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