obey orders; take orders from
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to obey orders; to take orders from; to be at someone's command
formalOften used in formal or written contexts. Can be used with 于 to indicate the person whose orders are being followed (听命于人). The idiom 俯首听命 describes submissive obedience.
Jūn军
rén人
yǐ以
fú服
cóng从
wéi为
tiān天
zhí职
，
bì必
xū须
tīng听
mìng命
yú于
shàng上
jí级
。
Soldiers take obedience as their bounden duty and must take orders from their superiors.
Fǔ俯
shǒu首
tīng听
mìng命
to bow one's head and obey submissively
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Tā他
bìng并
fēi非
gān甘
yuàn愿
tīng听
mìng命
yú于
rén人
，
zhǐ只
shì是
xíng形
shì势
suǒ所
pò迫
。
He is not willing to take orders from others; he is merely forced by circumstances.
Zài在
zhè这
gè个
tǐ体
xì系
zhōng中
，
dì地
fāng方
guān官
yuán员
zhǐ只
néng能
tīng听
mìng命
yú于
zhōng中
yāng央
。
In this system, local officials can only obey the central government.