Definition
授受不亲 is a four-character set phrase from classical Confucian etiquette, literally 'not to touch in giving and receiving'. It refers to the traditional rule that men and women should not have direct physical contact when exchanging objects — a social norm that has largely faded in modern China but still appears in historical discussions and period dramas. As a chengyu, its literal meaning is misleading if translated word-by-word; it specifically encodes a gendered social prohibition.
f.e.
(set phrase, historical) prohibition against direct contact between men and women (in Confucian propriety)
Examples
- 授受不亲，。Gǔdài lǐjiào jiǎngjiu nánnǚ shòu shòu bú, xiànzài hěn duō rén juéde zhè tài bǎoshǒu le.Ancient rites stressed that men and women should not touch; many people today think this is too conservative.
- 授受不亲。Zhè bù gǔzhuāng jù lǐ yǒu yì chǎng xì biǎoxiàn le nánnǚ shòu shòu bú de lǐyí.In this period drama, there is a scene that shows the etiquette of not touching between men and women.
- 授受不亲，。Suīrán shòu shòu bú shì jiù shídài de guīju, dàn liǎojiě tā yǒuzhù yú lǐjiě chuántǒng wénhuà.Although 'no contact between the sexes' is an old-fashioned rule, understanding it helps in grasping traditional culture.
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