亦步亦趨

Chinese

		also	a step; a pace; walk a step; a pace; walk; march; stages in a process	also	to hasten; to hurry; walk fast
trad. (亦步亦趨)		亦	步	亦	趨
simp. (亦步亦趋)		亦	步	亦	趋
Literally: “to blindly follow suit”.

Etymology

顏淵問於仲尼曰：「夫子步亦步，夫子趨亦趨，夫子馳亦馳，夫子奔逸絕塵，而回瞠若乎後矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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颜渊问于仲尼曰：「夫子步亦步，夫子趋亦趋，夫子驰亦驰，夫子奔逸绝尘，而回瞠若乎后矣。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Yán Yuān wèn yú Zhòngní yuē: “Fūzǐ bù yìbù, fūzǐ qū yìqū, fūzǐ chí yìchí, fūzǐ bēnyì juéchén, ér Huí chēng ruò hū hòu yǐ.” [Pinyin]

Yan Yuan asked Zhongni, saying, 'Master, when you pace quietly along, I also pace along; when you go more quickly, I also do the same; when you gallop, I also gallop; but when you race along and spurn the dust, then I can only stand and look, and keep behind you.'

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yìbùyìqū

  (Zhuyin): ㄧˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧˋ ㄑㄩ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jik⁶ bou⁶ jik⁶ ceoi¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yìbùyìqū
    • Zhuyin: ㄧˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧˋ ㄑㄩ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yìbùyìcyu
    • Wade–Giles: i⁴-pu⁴-i⁴-chʻü¹
    • Yale: yì-bù-yì-chyū
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yihbuhyihchiu
    • Palladius: ибуицюй (ibuicjuj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /i⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵¹ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: jik⁶ bou⁶ jik⁶ ceoi¹
    • Yale: yihk bouh yihk chēui
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jik⁹ bou⁶ jik⁹ tsoey¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: yig⁶ bou⁶ yig⁶ cêu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɪk̚² pou̯²² jɪk̚² t͡sʰɵy̯⁵⁵/

Idiom

亦步亦趨

1. to imitate slavishly; to do what everyone else is doing