一丝不苟
- Literal
- not sloppy by so much as a single silk thread
- Figurative
- To do things with scrupulous care, never allowing yourself the smallest slip or letting a single detail slide.
Where does 一丝不苟 come from?
丝 is a thread of silk, and in classical Chinese it also named a minute unit of measure; to say someone is not 苟 ("sloppy, careless") by even one 丝 is to say they never let up, not even on the smallest thing. The fixed form is usually traced to the Qing novel 《儒林外史》 (The Scholars) by Wu Jingzi, where it appears in praise of how meticulous an official is in carrying out his duties. Today it describes careful work of any kind: accounts, inspections, skilled handiwork.
Source (出处): 吴敬梓《儒林外史》
How is 一丝不苟 used? Two examples
- 他做账一丝不苟，从来没出过错。
He keeps the books meticulously and has never made a mistake.
- 老师改作业一丝不苟，连标点都要看。
Our teacher grades homework meticulously — she even checks the punctuation.
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