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.]

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

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

to imitate slavishly; to do what everyone else is doing