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Definitions

  1. 1. (literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then
  2. 2. (bound form) standard; norm
  3. 3. (bound form) principle
  4. 4. (literary) to imitate; to follow
  5. 5. classifier for written items

Example Sentences

1 shown
水至清 无鱼。
Source: Tatoeba.org

Sentence data courtesy of Tatoeba.org.

Words Containing 则

以身作则
yǐ shēn zuò zé

to set an example (idiom); to serve as a model

原则
yuán zé

principle

否则
fǒu zé

otherwise; if not; or (else)

准则
zhǔn zé

norm

规则
guī zé

rule

一中原则
yī zhōng yuán zé

One-China principle, the official doctrine that Taiwan is a province of China

一则
yī zé

on the one hand

一则以喜,一则以忧
yī zé yǐ xǐ , yī zé yǐ yōu

happy on the one hand, but worried on the other (idiom)

一般原则
yī bān yuán zé

general principle

三人行,则必有我师
sān rén xíng , zé bì yǒu wǒ shī

If three walk together, one of them can teach me sth (Confucius)

三原则
sān yuán zé

the Three Principles (in many contexts)

不俭则匮
bù jiǎn zé kuì

wastage makes one destitute (idiom)

不平则鸣
bù píng zé míng

where there is injustice, there will be an outcry

不规则
bù guī zé

irregular

不规则三角形
bù guī zé sān jiǎo xíng

scalene triangle (math.)

不规则四边形
bù guī zé sì biān xíng

irregular quadrilateral

交通规则
jiāo tōng guī zé

traffic rules

俭则不缺
jiǎn zé bù quē

frugality prevents destitution (idiom)

兼听则明,偏信则暗
jiān tīng zé míng , piān xìn zé àn

listen to both sides and you will be enlightened; heed only one side and you will remain ignorant (idiom)

再则
zài zé

moreover

分则
fēn zé

specific provisions (based on general regulations)

则步隆
zé bù lóng

Zabulon or Zebulun, biblical land between Jordan and Galilee (Matthew 4:15)

则辣黑
zé là hēi

Zerah (name)

勤则不匮
qín zé bù kuì

If one is industrious, one will not be in want. (idiom)

半规则
bàn guī zé

quasi-regular

原则上
yuán zé shang

in principle

原则性
yuán zé xìng

principled

和平共处五项原则
hé píng gòng chǔ wǔ xiàng yuán zé

Zhou Enlai's Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence

喜则气缓
xǐ zé qì huǎn

joy depresses one's qi vital breath

四则运算
sì zé yùn suàn

the four basic operations of arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division)

基本原则
jī běn yuán zé

fundamental doctrine

学如逆水行舟,不进则退
xué rú nì shuǐ xíng zhōu , bù jìn zé tuì

study is like rowing upstream – if you don't keep pushing forward, you fall behind

学而不思则罔,思而不学则殆
xué ér bù sī zé wǎng , sī ér bù xué zé dài

To learn without thinking is confusing, to think without learning is dangerous (Confucius)

学而优则仕
xué ér yōu zé shì

one who is successful in one's studies, can become an official (idiom)

守则
shǒu zé

rules

实则
shí zé

actually

小不忍则乱大谋
xiǎo bù rěn zé luàn dà móu

(idiom) great plans can be ruined by just a touch of impatience

帕累托法则
pà lèi tuō fǎ zé

Pareto principle

成则为王,败则为寇
chéng zé wéi wáng , bài zé wéi kòu

lit. called a king if successful, called a bandit if defeated (idiom)

改则
gǎi zé

Gerze county in Ngari prefecture, Tibet, Tibetan: Sger rtse rdzong

改则县
gǎi zé xiàn

Gerze county in Ngari prefecture, Tibet, Tibetan: Sger rtse rdzong

既来之,则安之
jì lái zhī , zé ān zhī

Since they have come, we should make them comfortable (idiom). Since we're here, take it easy.

日喀则
rì kā zé

Shigatse or Xigaze, Tibetan: Gzhis ka rtse, city and prefecture in central Tibet

日喀则地区
rì kā zé dì qū

Shigatse or Xigaze prefecture in central Tibet, Tibetan: Gzhis ka rtse sa khul, Chinese Rikaze

日喀则市
rì kā zé shì

Shigatse or Xigaze, Tibetan: Gzhis ka rtse, city and prefecture in central Tibet, Chinese Rikaze

会计准则理事会
kuài jì zhǔn zé lǐ shì huì

accounting standards council

有则改之,无则加勉
yǒu zé gǎi zhī , wú zé jiā miǎn

correct any mistakes you made, but maintain your good record if you did not make them (idiom)

林则徐
lín zé xú

Lin Zexu or Lin Tse-hsu \Commissioner Lin\ (1785-1850), Qing official whose anti-opium activities led to first Opium war with Britain 1840-1842

欲速则不达
yù sù zé bù dá

(idiom) (the Analects) haste makes waste; things can't be rushed

正则
zhèng zé

regular (figure in geometry)

正则参数
zhèng zé cān shù

regular parametrization

正则表达式
zhèng zé biǎo dá shì

regular expression (computing)

武则天
wǔ zé tiān

Wu Zetian (624-705), Tang empress, reigned 690-705

水至清则无鱼,人至察则无徒
shuǐ zhì qīng zé wú yú , rén zhì chá zé wú tú

water that is too clear has no fish, and one who is too severe has no friends (idiom)

法则
fǎ zé

law

洛必达法则
luò bì dá fǎ zé

L'Hôpital's rule (math.)

潜规则
qián guī zé

unspoken rules (usually ones that codify improper behaviors such as leveraging guanxi to get favorable treatment, or coercing employees for sexual favors)

无原则
wú yuán zé

unprincipled

然则
rán zé

that being the case

理则
lǐ zé

principle

理则学
lǐ zé xué

logic

瑞利准则
ruì lì zhǔn zé

Rayleigh criterion (optics)

当断则断
dāng duàn zé duàn

to make a decision when it's time to decide

穷则思变
qióng zé sī biàn

when you hit bottom, you have to come up with a new approach (idiom)

章则
zhāng zé

rule

简则
jiǎn zé

general rule

细则
xì zé

detailed rules and regulations

总则
zǒng zé

general rules; general principles; general provisions

罚则
fá zé

penal provision; penalty

闻过则喜
wén guò zé xǐ

to accept criticism gladly (humble expr.)

处世原则
chǔ shì yuán zé

a maxim

处事原则
chǔ shì yuán zé

a maxim

行为准则
xíng wéi zhǔn zé

code of conduct

规则化
guī zé huà

regularity

规则性
guī zé xìng

regularity

规则性效应
guī zé xìng xiào yìng

regularity effect

逆水行舟,不进则退
nì shuǐ xíng zhōu , bù jìn zé tuì

like rowing a boat upstream, if you stop moving forward you fall back (idiom)

通则
tōng zé

general rule

遇强则强
yù qiáng zé qiáng

tough adversaries make you stronger

附则
fù zé

supplementary provision

虽则
suī zé

nevertheless

非富则贵
fēi fù zé guì

see 非富即貴|非富即贵[fēi fù jí guì]