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HSK 6
yī一onesī丝threadbù不notgǒu苟careless
Meticulous; scrupulous; not the least bit negligent.

Literal meaning

one (一) — thread (丝) — not (不) — careless (苟)

Origin

A classical four-character phrase emphasizing attention to detail and precision.

Examples

Tā他de的gōng工zuò作yī一sī丝bù不gǒu苟,fēi非cháng常rèn认zhēn真。
His work is meticulous and very serious.
Tā她yī一sī丝bù不gǒu苟de地wán完chéng成le了rèn任wù务。
She completed the task meticulously.

Usage & nuances

Often used to describe someone's work ethic or attitude.

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