一本正經 yī běn zhèng jīng

DEFINITIONS

  1. in deadly earnest
  2. deadpan

CHARACTERS

一 yī
HSK 1
one; a, an; alone
本 běn
HSK 1
root, origin, source; basis
正 zhèng
HSK 2
right, proper, correct
經 jīng classic works; pass through