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| 墨守成规 [2025/08/14 16:53] – created xiaoer | 墨守成规 [2025/08/19 18:07] (current) – created xiaoer |
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| ====== mòshǒuchéngguī: 墨守成规 - To Stick to Old Ways, Hidebound, Unimaginative ====== | ====== mòshǒuchéngguī: 墨守成规 - To rigidly stick to conventions, To be a stick-in-the-mud ====== |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | ===== Quick Summary ===== |
| * **Keywords:** moshouchenggui, 墨守成规, stick to old ways, hidebound, inflexible, unimaginative, conventional, conservative, Chinese idiom, chengyu, Mozi, 墨子, what does moshouchenggui mean, Chinese business culture | * **Keywords:** mòshǒuchéngguī, 墨守成规, stick to conventions, hidebound, uncreative, inflexible Chinese idiom, Chinese business culture, Chinese chengyu, follow the old ways, resistant to change, lack of innovation, playing by the book. |
| * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of **墨守成规 (mòshǒuchéngguī)**, a powerful Chinese idiom (chengyu) used to criticize someone who rigidly sticks to old ways and established rules, lacking flexibility and innovation. This term, with origins tracing back to the philosopher Mozi, is essential for understanding critiques of stubbornness and resistance to change in Chinese business, social, and personal contexts. Learn how to use it to describe someone who is hidebound, unimaginative, and resistant to progress. | * **Summary:** The Chinese idiom **墨守成规 (mòshǒuchéngguī)** describes a person or organization that rigidly sticks to old conventions and established rules, even when change is needed. It carries a strong negative connotation, criticizing a lack of flexibility, creativity, and willingness to adapt. Understanding this term is key to grasping the cultural tension between tradition and innovation in modern China, especially in business and technology. |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | ===== Core Meaning ===== |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** mò shǒu chéng guī | * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** mò shǒu chéng guī |
| * **Part of Speech:** Idiom (Chengyu), Verb | * **Part of Speech:** Chengyu (成语) - a four-character idiomatic expression. |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 6 | * **HSK Level:** HSK 6+ |
| * **Concise Definition:** To rigidly adhere to established rules and conventions, refusing to adapt or change. | * **Concise Definition:** To stubbornly adhere to established rules and practices without any flexibility. |
| * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine someone who insists on using a flip phone in the age of smartphones, not out of nostalgia, but because "it's the way it's always been done." That's the essence of `墨守成规`. It carries a strong negative connotation of being stubborn, inflexible, and stuck in the past. It’s not about respecting tradition; it’s about being mentally trapped by it, unable to see better, more efficient, or more creative ways of doing things. | * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine a chef who only ever uses a 100-year-old recipe, refusing to try new ingredients or techniques even as tastes change. That is **墨守成规**. It’s not just about respecting tradition; it’s about being so blindly attached to "the way it's always been done" that you fail to improve or adapt. It is almost always used as a criticism, implying someone is a "stick-in-the-mud," hidebound, or uncreative. |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | ===== Character Breakdown ===== |
| * **墨 (mò):** Originally "ink," but in this idiom, it's a historical reference to the philosopher **Mozi (墨子)**, a master of defensive strategy in ancient China. | * **墨 (mò):** Ink; more importantly, this refers to the philosopher **Mozi (墨子)**, founder of the Mohist school of thought. |
| * **守 (shǒu):** To defend, guard, or stick to. | * **守 (shǒu):** To guard, to defend, to protect, to stick to. |
| * **成 (chéng):** Established, completed, already existing. | * **成 (chéng):** Established, completed, already existing. |
| * **规 (guī):** Rules, regulations, conventions. | * **规 (guī):** Rule, regulation, custom, convention. |
| These characters combine to literally mean "To defend the established rules like Mozi." The story goes that Mozi was so skilled at defending cities that his methods were legendary. The idiom co-opts his name to describe someone who defends old, outdated rules with the same stubborn, unyielding determination, which is seen as a flaw in modern contexts. | The term originates from the historical fact that Mozi and his followers were masters of defensive strategy. They could defend a city so effectively that "Mo's defense" (墨守) became a metaphor for an extremely stubborn and unyielding defense. When combined with "established rules" (成规), the idiom takes on a negative meaning: to defend old, established rules with the same stubbornness, refusing any attack from new ideas or necessary changes. |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== |
| The evolution of `墨守成规` from a neutral term about steadfast defense to a negative one about stubbornness reflects a major cultural shift in China. | **墨守成规** taps into a core tension in modern Chinese society: the pull between honoring a long and rich history and the desperate need for innovation (创新 - chuàngxīn) to compete globally. |
| Originally, the story of Mozi (墨子) and his incredible ability to defend a city against a superior attacking force was one of praise. He was brilliant and steadfast. However, as society progressed, this same "unbreakable defense" mindset was applied to ideas and rules. The idiom's meaning soured, now describing a person who defends outdated conventions with the same blind vigor, preventing progress and innovation. | While Chinese culture places a high value on respecting elders, history, and precedent, **墨守成规** is the negative side of that coin. It's the point where respect for the past becomes an obstacle to the future. |
| This is a fascinating contrast to Western cultural narratives that often champion "disruption" and "thinking outside the box." While Chinese culture traditionally values order, respect for precedent, and stability, `墨守成规` represents the negative extreme of these values. It’s where respect for the past becomes a barrier to the future. In a rapidly modernizing China, being called `墨守成规` is a sharp criticism, accusing someone of holding back their company, their family, or even themselves. | * **Comparison to a Western Concept:** In the West, we might talk about "bureaucratic red tape" or someone being "stuck in their ways." However, these concepts are slightly different. "Red tape" often refers to an inefficient system, whereas **墨守成规** describes a **mindset** of an individual or a group. Being "stuck in one's ways" can be a gentle criticism of a grandparent, but **墨守成规** is a stronger, more formal critique, often leveled at managers, companies, or governments that are failing to innovate. It’s not just a personal quirk; it's a strategic failure. |
| | This idiom is a powerful tool for criticizing inefficiency and a lack of forward-thinking, making it highly relevant in discussions about business strategy, technological development, and social reform in China today. |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== |
| `墨守成规` is almost always used negatively to criticize inflexibility. It’s a formal chengyu, so you'll hear it in business meetings, news reports, and formal essays, but it's well-known enough for educated speakers to use in daily conversation. | This is a formal idiom with a consistently negative connotation. You'll hear it in business meetings, read it in news articles, and see it used in formal speeches, but rarely in very casual conversation with friends. |
| * **In Business:** This is a very common criticism of companies that fail to adapt. A startup might describe a large, older corporation as `墨守成规` for its refusal to adopt new technology or respond to market changes. | * **In Business:** This is one of the most common contexts. It's used to criticize a competitor that fails to adapt to market changes, or an internal department that resists new processes. Calling a company **墨守成规** is a serious accusation that it is doomed to fail. |
| * **In Personal Life:** It can be used to describe a person, often an elder, who is frustratingly set in their ways. For example, a boss who rejects a more efficient workflow simply because "we don't do it that way here." | * **In Government and Education:** It can be used to describe bureaucratic systems that are slow to reform or educational methods that are outdated and don't foster creativity. |
| * **In Governance:** It's frequently used to critique bureaucratic red tape and resistance to necessary social or economic reforms. | * **In Personal Life:** While less common, it can be used to describe a very stubborn, old-fashioned person who refuses to accept new technology, ideas, or social norms. It's much stronger and more critical than simply calling someone "traditional." |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | ===== Example Sentences ===== |
| * **Example 1:** | * **Example 1:** |
| * 很多老牌公司因为**墨守成规**，最终被市场淘汰了。 | * 在这个瞬息万变的市场里，**墨守成规**的公司很快就会被淘汰。 |
| * Pinyin: Hěnduō lǎopái gōngsī yīnwèi **mòshǒuchéngguī**, zuìzhōng bèi shìchǎng táotài le. | * Pinyin: Zài zhège shùnxīwànbiàn de shìchǎng lǐ, **mòshǒuchéngguī** de gōngsī hěn kuài jiù huì bèi táotài. |
| * English: Many old-brand companies were eventually eliminated by the market because they were hidebound. | * English: In this rapidly changing market, companies that rigidly stick to conventions will quickly be eliminated. |
| * Analysis: This is a classic business context. It directly links the company's failure to its inability to innovate. | * Analysis: This is a classic business context. It uses **墨守成规** to describe a fatal flaw in a company's strategy. |
| * **Example 2:** | * **Example 2:** |
| * 在这个快速变化的时代，我们不能**墨守成规**，必须与时俱进。 | * 我们的老板太**墨守成规**了，他从不接受任何新想法。 |
| * Pinyin: Zài zhège kuàisù biànhuà de shídài, wǒmen bùnéng **mòshǒuchéngguī**, bìxū yǔ shí jù jìn. | * Pinyin: Wǒmen de lǎobǎn tài **mòshǒuchéngguī** le, tā cóngbù jiēshòu rènhé xīn xiǎngfǎ. |
| * English: In this rapidly changing era, we cannot stick to the old ways; we must keep up with the times. | * English: Our boss is too hidebound; he never accepts any new ideas. |
| * Analysis: This sentence sets up a clear contrast between `墨守成规` (the problem) and `与时俱进` (the solution), a common rhetorical structure. | * Analysis: A direct criticism of a person's management style, highlighting their inflexibility. |
| * **Example 3:** | * **Example 3:** |
| * 他的教学方法太**墨守成规**了，完全不考虑学生的兴趣。 | * 教育改革的目的就是为了打破**墨守成规**的旧模式。 |
| * Pinyin: Tā de jiàoxué fāngfǎ tài **mòshǒuchéngguī** le, wánquán bù kǎolǜ xuéshēng de xìngqù. | * Pinyin: Jiàoyù gǎigé de mùdì jiùshì wèile dǎpò **mòshǒuchéngguī** de jiù móshì. |
| * English: His teaching methods are too conventional; he doesn't consider the students' interests at all. | * English: The purpose of educational reform is precisely to break the old, hidebound models. |
| * Analysis: Here, the term is used to criticize a lack of creativity and adaptability in a professional setting. | * Analysis: Here, the term describes an entire system (the "old model") that needs to be changed. |
| * **Example 4:** | * **Example 4:** |
| * 领导，我觉得这个计划太**墨守成规**，缺乏创新。 | * 你不能总是**墨守成规**，有时候需要尝试一些新的方法来解决问题。 |
| * Pinyin: Lǐngdǎo, wǒ juédé zhège jìhuà tài **mòshǒuchéngguī**, quēfá chuàngxīn. | * Pinyin: Nǐ bùnéng zǒngshì **mòshǒuchéngguī**, yǒushíhou xūyào chángshì yīxiē xīn de fāngfǎ lái jiějué wèntí. |
| * English: Boss, I feel this plan is too unimaginative and lacks innovation. | * English: You can't always just follow the old rules; sometimes you need to try new methods to solve problems. |
| * Analysis: A polite but direct way to critique a proposal in a business meeting. Note the use of "lacks innovation" (`缺乏创新`) to soften and clarify the criticism. | * Analysis: This is a piece of advice, using the idiom to point out someone's unhelpful, rigid approach. |
| * **Example 5:** | * **Example 5:** |
| * 年轻人应该敢于挑战权威，而不是**墨守成规**。 | * 这家百年老店的失败，主要原因就在于**墨守成规**，不愿创新。 |
| * Pinyin: Niánqīng rén yīnggāi gǎnyú tiǎozhàn quánwēi, ér bùshì **mòshǒuchéngguī**. | * Pinyin: Zhè jiā bǎinián lǎodiàn de shībài, zhǔyào yuányīn jiù zàiyú **mòshǒuchéngguī**, bù yuàn chuàngxīn. |
| * English: Young people should dare to challenge authority, not just follow the old rules. | * English: The failure of this century-old shop was mainly due to its adherence to old ways and unwillingness to innovate. |
| * Analysis: This sentence frames `墨守成规` as the opposite of a desirable trait for the younger generation. | * Analysis: This sentence clearly pairs **墨守成规** with its antonym, "to innovate" (创新), highlighting the core conflict. |
| * **Example 6:** | * **Example 6:** |
| * 如果我们继续这样**墨守成规**，我们的产品很快就会失去竞争力。 | * 面对新的挑战，我们必须摒弃**墨守成规**的思想。 |
| * Pinyin: Rúguǒ wǒmen jìxù zhèyàng **mòshǒuchéngguī**, wǒmen de chǎnpǐn hěn kuài jiù huì shīqù jìngzhēnglì. | * Pinyin: Miànduì xīn de tiǎozhàn, wǒmen bìxū bǐngqì **mòshǒuchéngguī** de sīxiǎng. |
| * English: If we continue to be so hidebound, our product will soon lose its competitiveness. | * English: Facing new challenges, we must abandon our rigid, conventional thinking. |
| * Analysis: This highlights the direct negative consequences of being `墨守成规` in a commercial context. | * Analysis: This shows the term can describe not just actions, but a "way of thinking" (思想). |
| * **Example 7:** | * **Example 7:** |
| * 有些父母的教育观念非常**墨守成规**，总是用老一套来要求孩子。 | * 他的研究方法过于**墨守成规**，缺乏突破性的发现。 |
| * Pinyin: Yǒuxiē fùmǔ de jiàoyù guānniàn fēicháng **mòshǒuchéngguī**, zǒngshì yòng lǎo yí tào lái yāoqiú háizi. | * Pinyin: Tā de yánjiū fāngfǎ guòyú **mòshǒuchéngguī**, quēfá tūpòxìng de fāxiàn. |
| * English: Some parents' educational concepts are very hidebound; they always use the same old methods to discipline their children. | * English: His research methods are too conventional, lacking any breakthrough discoveries. |
| * Analysis: This shows the term's application to social or family dynamics, criticizing outdated parenting styles. | * Analysis: Used in an academic or scientific context to criticize a lack of originality. |
| * **Example 8:** | * **Example 8:** |
| * 这家餐厅几十年来菜单一成不变，真是太**墨守成规**了。 | * 很多传统手艺人因为不愿改变，**墨守成规**，最终失去了市场。 |
| * Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng jǐ shí nián lái càidān yīchéngbùbiàn, zhēnshi tài **mòshǒuchéngguī** le. | * Pinyin: Hěnduō chuántǒng shǒuyìrén yīnwèi bù yuàn gǎibiàn, **mòshǒuchéngguī**, zuìzhōng shīqùle shìchǎng. |
| * English: This restaurant's menu hasn't changed in decades; it's really stuck in its ways. | * English: Many traditional artisans, because they were unwilling to change and stuck to the old ways, eventually lost their market. |
| * Analysis: A perfect example from daily life. It connects the observable fact (`一成不变` - unchanging) to the critical judgment (`墨守成规`). | * Analysis: This example highlights the fine line between preserving tradition and being harmfully rigid. |
| * **Example 9:** | * **Example 9:** |
| * 我们的问题在于制度**墨守成规**，而不是员工不努力。 | * 如果我们继续**墨守成规**，竞争对手很快就会超越我们。 |
| * Pinyin: Wǒmen de wèntí zàiyú zhìdù **mòshǒuchéngguī**, ér bùshì yuángōng bù nǔlì. | * Pinyin: Rúguǒ wǒmen jìxù **mòshǒuchéngguī**, jìngzhēng duìshǒu hěn kuài jiù huì chāoyuè wǒmen. |
| * English: Our problem lies in a rigid system, not in the employees' lack of effort. | * English: If we continue to be hidebound, our competitors will soon surpass us. |
| * Analysis: This sentence cleverly deflects blame from individuals to a systemic issue of inflexibility. | * Analysis: A clear warning about the consequences of not adapting, common in corporate presentations. |
| * **Example 10:** | * **Example 10:** |
| * 艺术创作最忌讳的就是**墨守成规**。 | * 作为新一代的领导者，他的优点就是从不**墨守成规**。 |
| * Pinyin: Yìshù chuàngzuò zuì jìhuì de jiùshì **mòshǒuchéngguī**. | * Pinyin: Zuòwéi xīn yī dài de lǐngdǎozhě, tā de yōudiǎn jiùshì cóngbù **mòshǒuchéngguī**. |
| * English: The biggest taboo in artistic creation is being unimaginative. | * English: As a leader of the new generation, his strong point is that he never rigidly sticks to conventions. |
| * Analysis: This statement establishes `墨守成规` as the direct enemy of creativity and art. | * Analysis: This shows the term used in a negative construction (`从不...`) to praise someone for their flexibility and innovative spirit. |
| ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== | ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== |
| * **"Respecting Tradition" vs. "Mòshǒuchéngguī":** This is the most common pitfall. `墨守成规` is not about appreciating cultural heritage. It's about **blindly** following rules, especially when a better alternative exists. | * **Don't confuse it with "Traditional" (传统 - chuántǒng).** |
| * **Correct:** He celebrates the Dragon Boat Festival every year. He really respects tradition. (他每年 | Being traditional can be a positive or neutral trait. You can respect tradition (尊重传统) while still being innovative. **墨守成规** is when that respect for tradition becomes a blind, irrational refusal to change, which is always negative. |
| | * **Correct:** 他很**传统**，喜欢过春节时全家团聚。(Tā hěn chuántǒng, xǐhuān guò Chūnjié shí quánjiā tuánjù.) - He is very traditional and likes family reunions during Spring Festival. (Positive/Neutral) |
| | * **Incorrect:** 他很**墨守成规**，喜欢过春节时全家团聚。(This sounds strange, as it criticizes a normal cultural practice.) |
| | * **It's not just "stubborn" (固执 - gùzhí).** |
| | `固执` is a general term for being stubborn about any opinion or idea. **墨守成规** is specifically about being stubborn by clinging to *established rules, methods, or conventions*. |
| | * **Example:** A child who refuses to eat vegetables is `固执`, not `墨守成规`. A manager who refuses to replace a 20-year-old software system because "it still works" is **墨守成规**. |
| | * **False Friend: "Sticking to the rules."** |
| | In English, this can be positive (e.g., "The judge is fair because she always sticks to the rules."). **墨守成规** implies that the context demands flexibility, and therefore, "sticking to the rules" is the wrong and foolish thing to do. The Chinese equivalent for positively sticking to rules would be something like `遵守规则 (zūnshǒu guīzé)`. |
| | ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== |
| | * [[固步自封]] (gù bù zì fēng) - A close synonym. To be complacent and refuse to move forward, often out of arrogance. Literally "to stand still and seal oneself off." |
| | * [[因循守旧]] (yīn xún shǒu jiù) - A close synonym. To follow old routines and conventions without change; implies a passive, unthinking adherence to the past. |
| | * [[与时俱进]] (yǔ shí jù jìn) - Antonym. To keep pace with the times; to be progressive and adapt as things change. This is a very popular phrase in modern China. |
| | * [[随机应变]] (suí jī yìng biàn) - Antonym. To be flexible and adapt to circumstances as they arise; to think on your feet. |
| | * [[创新]] (chuàngxīn) - Antonym. Innovation; to innovate. The direct opposite of the mindset described by `墨守成规`. |
| | * [[改革]] (gǎigé) - Antonym. To reform; reform. Often used in the context of government or institutional change needed to overcome `墨守成规`. |
| | * [[固执]] (gùzhí) - Related but more general. Stubborn, obstinate. `墨守成规` is a specific type of `固执`. |
| | * [[传统]] (chuántǒng) - Related concept. Tradition. Can be the source of `墨守成规` but is not inherently negative itself. |
| | * [[安于现状]] (ān yú xiàn zhuàng) - Related concept. To be content with the status quo. This is less about stubbornly defending old rules and more about a lack of ambition to change or improve. |