noun
rules and standards; norms; criteria
A formal yojijukugo referring to established rules, standards, or norms that serve as a basis for judgment or action. Often used in legal, ethical, or organizational contexts.
この組織には明確な規矩準縄が必要だ。
This organization needs clear rules and standards.
彼の行動は社会の規矩準縄に反している。
His actions go against the norms of society.
A yojijukugo composed of four characters: 規 (rule), 矩 (carpenter's square, standard), 準 (standard, norm), and 縄 (rope, measure). Together they metaphorically refer to tools for measurement, hence 'rules and standards'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the phrase is used in classical Chinese texts.