Meaning of 遵守
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to comply with; to abide by; to respect (an agreement)
How to use 遵守
遵守 takes objects like rules, laws, agreements, promises, or time. It is common in signs, school rules, and formal speech. Example: 请大家遵守交通规则。(Qǐng dàjiā zūnshǒu jiāotōng guīzé.) Everyone please obey the traffic rules.
遵 (zūn) has the walking radical 辶 plus 尊 (zūn, to respect), so think of walking the path you respect. 守 (shǒu) shows a roof 宀 over a hand 寸, like guarding something at home, so 遵守 means to follow and keep the rules.
Common mistake: Learners often write 尊守, leaving out the walking radical 辶 on 遵. 尊 alone means respect, as in 尊重 (zūnzhòng), but the verb for keeping rules needs 遵.
遵守 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
遵 zūn · to follow · 15 strokes
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守 shǒu · to guard · 6 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 遵守.
| 保守 | bǎoshǒu | conservative; to guard |
| 防守 | fángshǒu | to defend; to protect (against) |
| 守护 | shǒuhù | to guard; to protect |
| 遵循 | zūnxún | to follow; to abide by; to comply with |
| 坚守 | jiānshǒu | to hold fast to; to stick to |
| 遵照 | zūnzhào | in accordance with; to follow (the rules) |
| 守候 | shǒuhòu | to wait for; to expect |
| 守株待兔 | shǒuzhū-dàitù | lit. to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits (idiom); to wait idly for opportunities |
| 遵命 | zūnmìng | to follow your orders; to do as you bid |
| 守卫 | shǒuwèi | to guard; to defend |
| 看守 | kānshǒu | to guard; to watch over |
| 守住 | shǒuzhu | to hold on to; to defend |
Questions about 遵守
What does 遵守 mean?
遵守 (zūnshǒu) means "to comply with; to abide by; to respect (an agreement)" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 遵守?
遵守 is made of 2 characters: 遵 (15 strokes), 守 (6 strokes). That is 21 strokes in total.
Is 遵守 an HSK word?
Yes. 遵守 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 遵守 and 遵循?
遵守 is about obeying concrete rules, laws, or agreements, such as 遵守纪律 (obey discipline). 遵循 is about following principles, methods, or patterns, such as 遵循自然规律 (follow the laws of nature). It sounds more abstract and written.
How do you say someone breaks the rules, the opposite of 遵守?
Common opposites are 违反 (wéifǎn), as in 违反规定 (violate a regulation), and 违背 (wéibèi), as in 违背诺言 (break a promise). You can also say 不遵守 for a simple negative.