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bù 不 bēi 卑 bú 不 kàng 亢

不卑不亢 bù bēi bú kàng

neither servile nor overbearing; dignified and self-possessed

Literally: not servile not haughty

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Origin

From the Ming-Qing period; the phrase is used in Lao She's and other modern writers' works to describe a poised, dignified bearing.

How to use it

Adverbial or predicate; positive. Often 不卑不亢地回答 or 态度不卑不亢.

Example sentences

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  1. 面对外国记者的刁难，发言人不卑不亢地作了回答。
    Miànduì wàiguó jìzhě de diāonàn, fāyánrén bù bēi bú kàng de zuò le huídá.
    Faced with the foreign reporter's needling, the spokesperson answered with dignity, neither servile nor overbearing.
    face foreign reporter (attributive particle) make-difficulty, spokesperson not servile not haughty (adverbial particle) make (aspect particle) answer
  2. 跟客户打交道要不卑不亢，既尊重对方，也维护自己的立场。
    Gēn kèhù dǎ jiāodào yào bù bēi bú kàng, jì zūnzhòng duìfāng, yě wéihù zìjǐ de lìchǎng.
    In dealing with clients, be neither servile nor arrogant: respect them while defending your own position.
    with client make dealings must not servile not haughty, both respect other-party, also safeguard self (attributive particle) position

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