Definition
严谨 (yánjǐn) describes a person or work that is rigorous and meticulous, with a strong focus on precision and thoroughness, often used for scholarship, writing, or research. It differs from 严格 (yángé 'strict, stringent'), which is about enforcing rules or standards, and from 严密 (yánmì 'tight, close'), which emphasizes logical or organizational tightness. 严谨 is more about careful attention to detail and correctness.
adjective
rigorousmeticulouscarefulstrict
Easily confused
- 严禁yán jìnsound-aliketo strictly prohibit; to forbid
Examples
- 严谨,。Zhè wèi jiàoshòu zhìxué fēicháng yán jǐn, cóng bú fàngguò rènhé xìjié.This professor is very rigorous in his scholarship and never overlooks any detail.
- 严谨,。Zhè piān bàogào de lùnzhèng búgòu yán jǐn, xūyào zài xiūgǎi.The argument in this report isn't rigorous enough; it needs more revision.
- 严谨。Tāmen yòng yán jǐn de fāngfǎ wánchéng le shíyàn.They completed the experiment using rigorous methods.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.