以身作则

• ピンイン: yǐ shēn zuò zé
• 漢字の分解: 以 = function word (by means of); 身 = pictograph of a pregnant woman — oneself, one's own person; 作 = 人 + 乍 (person + sudden action — to do, to perform); 则 = 贝 + 刂 (value/shell + knife — a standard, a rule)

意味

自ら模範を示す（身をもって手本を示す）

A four-character idiom (成语) emphasising that leaders and authority figures have a responsibility to model the behaviour they expect of others. Widely used in educational, managerial, political, and family contexts. Positive and aspirational in tone. Contrast with 只说不做 (all talk, no action).

例文

1. 校长每天提前半小时到校，以身作则地向全体教职员工展示对待工作应有的敬业态度。
2. 在家庭教育中，父母的言传不如身教，真正能影响孩子一生的，往往是父母以身作则的日常行为。
3. 军队领导者须以身作则，在艰苦条件下与士兵同甘共苦，方能树立起真实可信的威望。

使い方ガイド

場面: education, management, politics, parenting

トーン: positive

正しい言い方

• 公司危机时，创始人主动降薪，还承诺不拿绩效奖金，以身作则鼓舞全员。(When the company was in crisis, the founder voluntarily cut his salary and promised not to take any performance bonus, leading by example to encourage the whole team.)
• 教师是否真爱读书、能否以身作则把阅读融入生活，往往决定学生阅读习惯的养成。(Whether teachers truly love reading and can lead by example by making reading part of daily life often determines whether students develop reading habits.)

避ける言い方

• 他以身作则地睡懒觉 — 以身作则 exclusively describes setting a positive example of correct or virtuous behaviour; using it for negative behaviour produces an absurd contradiction

起源と歴史

以 (by means of/using) + 身 (body/person/oneself — 身 depicts a pregnant woman, extended to one's own person) + 作 (to do/act — 人 person + 乍 suddenly, to create/perform) + 则 (rule/standard — 贝 shell/value + 刂 knife, cutting to a standard)

文化的背景

時代: Classical/Modern

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal