Chinese idiom · 成语
三令五申
Meaning
To repeatedly emphasize instructions; to stress importance.
Character by character
Origin and story
Historical accountShiji (史記), volume 65, recounts King Helü of Wu testing Sun Wu’s military methods on 180 palace women. Sun Wu divided them into two groups under two favored consorts and repeatedly explained the drill commands. When the women laughed, he first accepted responsibility for unclear instruction and explained again.
When they laughed a second time, he blamed the group leaders and had them executed despite the king’s objection. With new leaders, the women performed the drill correctly. This severe traditional account concerns command and discipline, not a recommendation for modern teaching. The idiom itself means repeated explicit orders or warnings; three and five emphasize repetition rather than a required count.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
公司三令五申，不许把客户资料发到私人邮箱。
The company has repeatedly warned staff not to send customer information to personal email accounts.
Usually used of rules or warnings issued repeatedly by an authority.