没有规矩，不成方圆
méi​yǒu​guī​ju​bù​chéng​fāng​yuán

without rules nothing can be done

没有规矩，不成方圆 沒有規矩，不成方圓 méi​yǒu​guī​ju​bù​chéng​fāng​yuán
without rules nothing can be done
one must follow rules to achieve results; lit. without a compass and a square, one cannot make squares and circles
nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards
idiom expressing that without rules and order, nothing can be successfully achieved; literally, without a compass and square, one cannot form circles and squares

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