sǐbǎn: 死板 - Inflexible, Rigid, Dogmatic

• Keywords: 死板, siban, si ban, Chinese word for inflexible, rigid, dogmatic, stubborn, uncreative, by the book, inflexible person in Chinese, Chinese grammar, Chinese culture, HSK 5 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of 死板 (sǐbǎn), a common Chinese adjective used to describe someone or something as inflexible, rigid, and dogmatic. This guide breaks down the characters 死 (sǐ - dead) and 板 (bǎn - board) to reveal its literal meaning of “dead board,” perfectly capturing its negative connotation. Discover how being too 死板 is viewed in Chinese culture, and learn to use it correctly with 10 practical example sentences, contrasting it with similar terms and avoiding common mistakes.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): sǐbǎn
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: Describes a person, rule, or way of thinking as rigid, inflexible, and stubbornly adhering to conventions.
• In a Nutshell: The literal translation of 死板 (sǐbǎn) is “dead board,” which is a fantastic mental image. Think of a stiff, lifeless plank of wood that cannot bend or adapt. That's the core feeling of this word. It's almost always a criticism, implying a lack of creativity, common sense, or the inability to handle situations flexibly. It's the opposite of being adaptable and resourceful.

• 死 (sǐ): This character's primary meaning is “dead,” “to die,” or “lifeless.” It implies a complete lack of vitality and responsiveness.
• 板 (bǎn): This character means “board” or “plank.” It evokes a sense of hardness, flatness, and stiffness.

When combined, 死板 (sǐbǎn) creates a vivid image of a “dead board” – something utterly rigid, unresponsive, and unchangeable. This perfectly illustrates its meaning of being dogmatic, inflexible, and lacking any sort of dynamism or creativity.

In many Western cultures, particularly in a professional context, “following the rules” or “being by the book” can be seen as a positive trait, suggesting fairness, integrity, and consistency. However, in Chinese culture, which often prioritizes social harmony, adaptability, and 人情 (rénqíng - human feeling/favor), being too 死板 is a significant social flaw. A person who is 死板 is seen as foolishly and frustratingly unable to “read the room” or apply common sense. They will enforce a rule even when it is clearly illogical or unhelpful in a specific context. This clashes with the cultural value of 变通 (biàntōng), which is the ability to be flexible and find practical workarounds to achieve a goal harmoniously. For example, a government clerk who refuses to accept an application because of a trivial typo, forcing someone to come back the next day, would be criticized as being extremely 死板. They are failing to consider the human element (人情味 rénqíngwèi) and are instead blindly following a procedure, causing unnecessary trouble. Therefore, while a Westerner might see the clerk as “just doing their job,” a Chinese person would likely see them as frustratingly and inefficiently rigid.

死板 (sǐbǎn) is a common adjective used to complain about people, systems, or ideas. It carries a strong negative connotation.

• Describing People: You can use it to describe a boss who won't listen to new ideas, a teacher who only accepts answers exactly as they appear in the textbook, or a parent who has overly rigid rules.
  • “My manager is so inflexible; he never accepts our suggestions.”
• Describing Rules & Systems: It's frequently used to criticize bureaucracy, company policies, or laws that lack flexibility and common sense.
  • “The application process is too rigid; it's very inconvenient.”
• Describing Thinking & Style: It can describe a way of thinking that is dogmatic and uncreative, or an artistic style (like drawing or writing) that is stiff and lacks vitality.
  • “Your design is a bit lifeless, you need to be more creative.”

It's generally used in informal or semi-formal conversations. You would complain about your boss being 死板 to a coworker, but you would likely not say it directly to your boss's face.

• Example 1:
  • 他这个人太死板了，一点儿都不知道变通。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhège rén tài sǐbǎn le, yīdiǎnr dōu bù zhīdào biàntōng.
  • English: He is so rigid, he has no idea how to be flexible.
  • Analysis: A classic complaint about a person's character. It directly contrasts 死板 with its opposite, 变通 (biàntōng - flexibility).
• Example 2:
  • 公司的规定太死板，很多员工都觉得不合理。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī de guīdìng tài sǐbǎn, hěn duō yuángōng dōu juéde bù hélǐ.
  • English: The company's regulations are too inflexible; many employees feel they are unreasonable.
  • Analysis: Here, 死板 is used to criticize a system or a set of rules, not a person.
• Example 3:
  • 我们不能用死板的方法来教育孩子。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bù néng yòng sǐbǎn de fāngfǎ lái jiàoyù háizi.
  • English: We cannot use rigid methods to educate children.
  • Analysis: This example applies 死板 to a concept or methodology, in this case, educational methods.
• Example 4:
  • 他的画风很死板，缺乏生气。
  • Pinyin: Tā de huàfēng hěn sǐbǎn, quēfá shēngqì.
  • English: His painting style is very stiff and lacks vitality.
  • Analysis: Shows how 死板 can be used in an artistic context to mean “stiff,” “wooden,” or “uninspired.”
• Example 5:
  • 你为什么这么死板？就不能给我一次机会吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishénme zhème sǐbǎn? Jiù bù néng gěi wǒ yī cì jīhuì ma?
  • English: Why are you so dogmatic? Can't you just give me one chance?
  • Analysis: A good example of a direct, confrontational use of the word, perhaps in a plea or an argument.
• Example 6:
  • 学习语言不能太死板，要学会灵活运用。
  • Pinyin: Xuéxí yǔyán bù néng tài sǐbǎn, yào xuéhuì línghuó yùnyòng.
  • English: You can't be too rigid when learning a language; you have to learn to use it flexibly.
  • Analysis: This is great advice for language learners! It criticizes the approach of only memorizing rules without understanding how to apply them.
• Example 7:
  • 不要死板地遵守每一个字，要理解规则的精神。
  • Pinyin: Búyào sǐbǎn de zūnshǒu měi yí ge zì, yào lǐjiě guīzé de jīngshén.
  • English: Don't rigidly adhere to every single word; you need to understand the spirit of the rule.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly captures the cultural nuance. Being 死板 is about following the “letter of the law” instead of the “spirit of the law.”
• Example 8:
  • 他对时间的安排非常死板，五点一到准时下班。
  • Pinyin: Tā duì shíjiān de ānpái fēicháng sǐbǎn, wǔ diǎn yī dào zhǔnshí xiàbān.
  • English: He is very inflexible with his schedule, leaving work exactly on time as soon as it hits five o'clock.
  • Analysis: This describes a behavior. While being punctual can be good, in some work cultures, this level of rigidity might be seen as uncooperative or… 死板.
• Example 9:
  • 这个软件的界面设计得有点死板，不够人性化。
  • Pinyin: Zhège ruǎnjiàn de jièmiàn shèjì de yǒudiǎn sǐbǎn, búgòu rénxìnghuà.
  • English: This software's interface design is a bit stiff and not user-friendly enough.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates its use in a modern, technological context. “Stiff” here means un-intuitive and not fluid.
• Example 10:
  • 传统的观念有时候会显得很死板。
  • Pinyin: Chuántǒng de guānniàn yǒushíhou huì xiǎnde hěn sǐbǎn.
  • English: Traditional concepts can sometimes seem very dogmatic.
  • Analysis: This applies the term to abstract ideas or mindsets, criticizing them for being outdated and not adaptable to modern times.

• Mistake 1: Confusing “Rigid” (死板) with “Strict” (严格 yángé).
  • This is a critical distinction. A good teacher is `严格 (yángé)`, meaning they have high standards and enforce rules for the students' benefit. This is a positive quality. A bad teacher is 死板 (sǐbǎn), meaning they rigidly follow the textbook and stifle creativity. This is a negative quality.
  • Correct: 我的老师很严格，他对我们要求很高。(Wǒ de lǎoshī hěn yángé, tā duì wǒmen yāoqiú hěn gāo.) - My teacher is very strict; he has high expectations for us. (Positive)
  • Incorrect/Different Meaning: 我的老师很死板… (Wǒ de lǎoshī hěn sǐbǎn…) - My teacher is very rigid… (Negative criticism)
• Mistake 2: Confusing “Inflexible” (死板) with “Stubborn” (固执 gùzhí).
  • While related, they focus on different things. `固执 (gùzhí)` is about refusing to change your opinion. 死板 (sǐbǎn) is about refusing to change your method, process, or interpretation of rules.
  • A person can be stubborn (`固执`) about wanting to go to a specific restaurant, but flexible (`灵活`) about how to get there. A 死板 person would insist on following only one specific route to that restaurant, even if there's a traffic jam.

• 灵活 (línghuó) - Flexible, agile. The direct antonym of 死板. It's a highly positive trait.
• 变通 (biàntōng) - To be flexible, to adapt. A verb describing the action of finding a flexible solution. It's what a 死板 person cannot do.
• 固执 (gùzhí) - Stubborn, obstinate. Refers to being unwilling to change one's own opinion or decision. It's about mindset more than process.
• 呆板 (dāibǎn) - Dull, stiff, wooden. Similar to 死板, but often used to describe aesthetics, like a dull design, a stiff posture, or a boring performance. It emphasizes a lack of liveliness.
• 僵化 (jiānghuà) - Ossified, rigidified. A more formal term describing a system, organization, or way of thinking that has become rigid and resistant to change over time.
• 墨守成规 (mò shǒu chéng guī) - A four-character idiom (chengyu) meaning to rigidly stick to old conventions. It's a more literary way to describe 死板 behavior.
• 人情味 (rénqíngwèi) - “Human touch” or warmth. A person or system that is 死板 is often criticized for lacking `人情味`.