tremble and obey | Idiomator

Meaning: (idiomatic,chieflyChina)Tounthinkinglyobeyorpandertoauthorities, especially theChinesegovernment.1949,Bertrand Russell,Authority and the Individual:The ordinary voter ... feels himself their humble subject, whose duty is, as the Chinese used to say, to “tremble and obey”.2005, James McGregor,One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China‎[1], page153:Never “tremble and obey” if doing so will damage or destroy your business in China.2017, Stephen Vines, “Those who think the Umbrella Movement failed need to learn a little history”, inHong Kong Free Press‎[2]:... the previous colonial government and the currenttremble-and-obeygovernment have helped foster the myth of a historically politically apathetic and selfish society ...; (historical,China)Phrase promulgating a decree of the Chinese imperial government or the early British colonial administration in Hong Kong.1857, Thomas Wade, “Translation of a Paper forwarded by His Excellency the Governor of Macao”, in J. C. Parkinson, editor,Government Examinations‎[3], page124:Let the goodtremble and obey; let them not act so as to have hereafter to repent. A special Proclamation.

Examples:

EN: I tremble and obey.
ES: Callo y obedezco.
EN: When I call upon the powers of Tresum, they tremble and obey me.
ES: Cuando convoco a los poderes de Tresum ellos tiemblan y me obedecen.
EN: - ♪ Shall tremble and obey... ♪ - Man: Let's go!
ES: ¡Vamos! Dudo que muchos de ellos hayan visto a un antiguo esclavo de uniforme.
EN: Everyone hears Xiaoyaohou, all tremble and obey
ID: Semua orang ketika mendengar nama "Xiaoyaohou", semua orang gemetar dan patuh.

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