条条框框 — Chinese idiom
条条框框
tiáo tiáo kuàng kuàng
Traditional: 條條框框
Meaning
- fixed framework ; restriction of social conventions and taboos (usually derogatory)
- regulations and restrictions
Character by character
- 条tiáoclause, condition; string, stripe
- 条tiáoclause, condition; string, stripe
- 框kuàngdoor; frame
- 框kuàngdoor; frame
Idioms sharing a character
- 井井有条 jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo
- 有条不紊 yǒu tiáo bù wěn
- 有条有理 yǒu tiáo yǒu lǐ
- 条分缕析 tiáo fēn lǚ xī
- 死路一条 sǐ lù yī tiáo
Data: CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0); Unihan Database (Unicode License v3). Retrieved 2026-10-22.