照本宣科 read from a script
Explanation
照本宣科，指按照书本或讲稿逐字逐句地念诵或宣讲，缺乏灵活性和创造性。形容说话或做事呆板、死板、机械。
It refers to reciting or lecturing word for word according to a book or manuscript, lacking flexibility and creativity. It describes a dull, rigid, and mechanical way of speaking or acting.
Origin Story
话说唐朝时期，一位年轻的秀才张郎，为了参加科举考试，夜以继日地苦读圣贤书。他勤奋好学，但方法却过于死板，只会照本宣科，对书中内容缺乏深入理解和自己的见解。考试时，他面对考官，只是机械地背诵书中的语句，丝毫没有自己的想法和表达。结果可想而知，名落孙山。张郎非常沮丧，他的老师语重心长地告诉他，学习不能只靠死记硬背，要融会贯通，灵活运用，才能在考试中脱颖而出。张郎这才明白，照本宣科并非学习的正确方法，只有理解了书中的精髓，才能真正学以致用。从此，他改变了学习方法，开始思考问题，并结合实际情况进行分析，最终考取功名，实现了自己的理想。
During the Tang Dynasty, a young scholar named Zhang Lang studied diligently day and night for the imperial examinations. He was diligent, but his method was too rigid; he only memorized without really understanding the book or forming his own opinions. During the examination, he simply recited from the book without his own thoughts or expression. The result was that he failed. Zhang Lang was very disheartened, but his teacher patiently explained to him that one should not only memorize but understand and apply things flexibly in order to succeed in the examination. Zhang Lang understood that rote memorization was not the right method, but that one first had to understand the book to be able to apply it practically. From then on, he changed his learning method, began to think about things and analyzed them in relation to reality. Finally, he passed the examination and realized his dream.
Usage
主要用于形容说话、做事呆板、缺乏创意，或学习方法死板。
It is mainly used to describe speaking and acting in a rigid and uncreative way, or a rigid learning method.
Examples
-
他只是照本宣科地背诵课文，毫无理解。
ta zhishi zhaobenxuankedi beisong kewen, haowuliujie
He just recited the text verbatim, without any understanding.
-
这场演讲过于照本宣科，缺乏激情和感染力。
zhezhang yanjiang guoyushu zhaobenxuankedi, quefa jijing he ganranli
The speech was too mechanical and lacked passion and appeal.
-
老师批评他学习方法死板，只会照本宣科。
laoshi piping ta xuexi fangfa siban, zhihui zhaobenxuankedi
The teacher criticized his rigid learning method; he only memorized by rote.