míng​bù​zhèng​yán​bù​shùn

if the name is not right, then one's words will not be proper

  • created sense approved 名不正言不顺/名不正言不順 · míng​bù​zhèng​yán​bù​shùn · if the name is not right, then one's words will not be proper — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    名不正言不顺 / 名不正言不順

    míng​bù​zhèng​yán​bù​shùn

    if the name is not right, then one's words will not be proper

    (of a title, claim, etc.) illegitimate or improper, so that what one says or does lacks authority or logic

    名 (literal) → 名 · míng · [position] 不正 (literal) → 不正 · bù​zhèng · dishonest 言 (literal) → 言 · yán · speech 不顺 (literal) → 不顺/不順 · bù​shùn · unfavorable

    Changed: simplified, traditional, gloss, definition, pinyin, variant pinyin, variants, separable parts, decomposition

    created sense