====== lǚjiàobùgǎi: 屡教不改 - Incorrigible; Refusing to Change Despite Repeated Instruction ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** lǚjiàobùgǎi, lujiaobugai, 屡教不改, Chinese idiom for incorrigible, chengyu for stubborn, refuses to change, repeatedly taught but no change, unteachable, unreformable, Chinese parenting, Chinese discipline.
  * **Summary:** The Chinese idiom (chengyu) **屡教不改 (lǚjiàobùgǎi)** describes someone who is incorrigible, refusing to correct their behavior despite being repeatedly taught, criticized, or punished. It conveys a strong sense of frustration and disappointment, often used by parents, teachers, or managers to describe a person who stubbornly fails to learn from their mistakes. This term highlights the cultural importance of teachability and self-improvement in Chinese society.
===== Core Meaning =====
<hanziwriter>屡教不改</hanziwriter>
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** lǚ jiào bù gǎi
  * **Part of Speech:** Chengyu (成语) / Idiom
  * **HSK Level:** N/A
  * **Concise Definition:** To refuse to change one's ways despite repeated instruction.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine a child who keeps drawing on the walls. You teach them not to, explain why it's wrong, and even give them a timeout. The next day, they do it again. This pattern of behavior is **屡教不改**. It's not just about making a mistake; it's about a persistent, willful refusal to accept guidance and correct a known fault. The phrase is loaded with the speaker's sense of exasperation and disappointment.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **屡 (lǚ):** Repeatedly; again and again; frequently.
  * **教 (jiào):** To teach; to instruct; to educate.
  * **不 (bù):** Not; no.
  * **改 (gǎi):** To change; to correct; to reform.
When combined, the characters literally mean "repeatedly taught, not change." This direct and powerful construction paints a clear picture of someone who has been given many chances to improve but has failed or refused to take them.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
In Chinese culture, education (教) and self-correction (改) are highly valued virtues. There is a strong belief that people should be open to guidance from elders, teachers, and superiors, and that learning from one's mistakes is a fundamental part of personal and moral development.
To be described as **屡教不改** is a harsh criticism. It implies more than just being stubborn; it suggests a character flaw—a lack of humility, respect for authority, and desire for self-improvement. It signifies a breakdown in the crucial relationship between the teacher and the student (in the broadest sense).
  * **Comparison to Western Concepts:** This term is similar to the English word "incorrigible," but with a key difference in focus. "Incorrigible" often describes an inherent, almost unchangeable state of being ("an incorrigible flirt"). **屡教不改**, however, emphasizes the *failed process of teaching*. The weight of the phrase falls on the fact that instruction has been given //repeatedly//. This highlights the frustration of the person who has been doing the teaching and the stubbornness of the person who refuses to learn, making it a statement about a failed dynamic, not just a static personality trait.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
This idiom is common in situations involving discipline, education, and management. It is a strong term and is almost always used to express negative judgment and frustration.
  * **Parenting:** This is a classic phrase used by exasperated parents describing a child who keeps breaking the same rule (e.g., lying, not finishing homework, playing too many video games).
  * **Education:** A teacher might use this in a report or a parent-teacher conference to describe a student who continuously disrupts class or cheats on tests despite multiple warnings.
  * **Workplace:** A manager might complain about an employee who is **屡教不改**, consistently making the same errors, ignoring feedback, or violating company policy.
  * **Social Commentary:** News articles or social media posts might use it to criticize companies that repeatedly engage in unethical practices or officials who don't learn from past policy failures.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:** 
    * 那个孩子总是撒谎，真是**屡教不改**。
    * Pinyin: Nàge háizi zǒngshì sāhuǎng, zhēnshi **lǚjiàobùgǎi**.
    * English: That child is always lying; he's truly incorrigible.
    * Analysis: A classic example used by a frustrated parent or teacher. The word "总是" (zǒngshì - always) reinforces the repetitive nature of the problem.
  * **Example 2:** 
    * 他上班总是迟到，老板批评了他很多次，但他还是**屡教不改**。
    * Pinyin: Tā shàngbān zǒngshì chídào, lǎobǎn pīpíngle tā hěnduō cì, dàn tā háishì **lǚjiàobùgǎi**.
    * English: He is always late for work. The boss has criticized him many times, but he still refuses to change.
    * Analysis: This sentence clearly shows the cause-and-effect: criticism was given ("批评了他很多次"), but the result was "not changing." This is the core meaning of the idiom.
  * **Example 3:** 
    * 对于那些**屡教不改**的违规者，我们必须采取更严厉的措施。
    * Pinyin: Duìyú nàxiē **lǚjiàobùgǎi** de wéiguīzhě, wǒmen bìxū cǎiqǔ gèng yánlì de cuòshī.
    * English: For those rule-breakers who refuse to learn their lesson, we must adopt stricter measures.
    * Analysis: Here, the idiom is used as an adjective ("的违规者") to describe a type of person. This is a formal usage, common in official announcements or reports.
  * **Example 4:** 
    * 我家的猫**屡教不改**，又把沙发抓坏了。
    * Pinyin: Wǒjiā de māo **lǚjiàobùgǎi**, yòu bǎ shāfā zhuā huàile.
    * English: My cat is incorrigible; it's scratched up the sofa again.
    * Analysis: This shows the term can be used humorously or hyperbolically to complain about a pet's behavior, lightening its usually harsh tone.
  * **Example 5:** 
    * 你如果再这样**屡教不改**，就没人愿意帮助你了。
    * Pinyin: Nǐ rúguǒ zài zhèyàng **lǚjiàobùgǎi**, jiù méi rén yuànyì bāngzhù nǐ le.
    * English: If you continue to be so unwilling to change, no one will be willing to help you anymore.
    * Analysis: This is a warning, highlighting the social consequences of being unwilling to accept guidance.
  * **Example 6:** 
    * 这家工厂因为污染问题被罚款多次，但依然**屡教不改**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngchǎng yīnwèi wūrǎn wèntí bèi fákuǎn duō cì, dàn yīrán **lǚjiàobùgǎi**.
    * English: This factory has been fined many times for pollution problems, but it remains unrepentant and continues its ways.
    * Analysis: Demonstrates the use of the idiom for corporate or institutional behavior, not just individuals.
  * **Example 7:** 
    * 别对他抱太大希望了，他这个人就是**屡教不改**。
    * Pinyin: Bié duì tā bào tài dà xīwàng le, tā zhège rén jiùshì **lǚjiàobùgǎi**.
    * English: Don't have too high hopes for him; he's just the type of person who never learns.
    * Analysis: This is a sentence of resignation, where the speaker has given up on trying to change someone.
  * **Example 8:** 
    * 他**屡教不改**的坏习惯让他的妻子最终决定离开他。
    * Pinyin: Tā **lǚjiàobùgǎi** de huài xíguàn ràng tā de qīzi zuìzhōng juédìng líkāi tā.
    * English: His incorrigible bad habits made his wife finally decide to leave him.
    * Analysis: Here, the idiom functions as an adjectival phrase modifying "bad habits" (坏习惯).
  * **Example 9:** 
    * 老师叹了口气说：“我教了三十年书，第一次见到这么**屡教不改**的学生。”
    * Pinyin: Lǎoshī tànle kǒuqì shuō: "Wǒ jiāole sānshí nián shū, dì yī cì jiàndào zhème **lǚjiàobùgǎi** de xuéshēng."
    * English: The teacher sighed and said, "I've been teaching for thirty years, and this is the first time I've met such an unteachable student."
    * Analysis: The sigh ("叹了口气") perfectly captures the sense of exhaustion and disappointment associated with this idiom.
  * **Example 10:** 
    * 你不能因为一次错误就说他**屡教不改**，要再给他一次机会。
    * Pinyin: Nǐ bùnéng yīnwèi yīcì cuòwù jiù shuō tā **lǚjiàobùgǎi**, yào zài gěi tā yīcì jīhuì.
    * English: You can't say he's incorrigible because of one mistake; you should give him another chance.
    * Analysis: This sentence is a great example of how //not// to use the term, clarifying that it's reserved for repeated, patterned behavior, not a single error.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **Severity:** This is a strong, critical term. Using it for a minor or first-time mistake is an exaggeration and can seem overly harsh. It implies a history of offenses and failed corrections.
  * **Focus on Action, Not Opinion:** **屡教不改** applies to correctable behaviors, actions, or bad habits. It is incorrect to use it for someone's personal preferences or unchangeable opinions.
    *   **Incorrect:** 他喜欢吃臭豆腐，真是屡教不改。 (Tā xǐhuān chī chòudòufu, zhēnshi lǚjiàobùgǎi.) - "He likes to eat stinky tofu, he's so incorrigible." (Wrong, this is a matter of taste).
    *   **Correct:** 他上课总玩手机，真是屡教不改。 (Tā shàngkè zǒng wán shǒujī, zhēnshi lǚjiàobùgǎi.) - "He always plays on his phone in class, he's so incorrigible." (Correct, this is a rule-breaking behavior).
  * **"Stubborn" vs. "Incorrigible":** Don't confuse **屡教不改** with **固执 (gùzhí)**, the general word for "stubborn."
    *   **固执 (gùzhí)** describes a personality trait of being unwilling to change one's mind or ideas. (e.g., "My grandpa is very stubborn - 我爷爷很固执").
    *   **屡教不改** describes a pattern of refusing to correct one's //actions// after being taught. A person who is **屡教不改** is certainly stubborn, but this idiom is much more specific.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[知错能改]] (zhī cuò néng gǎi) - To know one's mistakes and be able to correct them. This is the direct antonym of 屡教不改 and is considered a great virtue.
  * [[固执]] (gùzhí) - Stubborn; obstinate. A personality trait often seen in people who are 屡教不改, but less specific.
  * [[执迷不悟]] (zhí mí bù wù) - To stubbornly hold on to one's errors without waking up to the truth. A close synonym, but with an added sense of being deluded or lost.
  * [[死不悔改]] (sǐ bù huǐ gǎi) - To be unrepentant even unto death. This is much stronger and more severe, implying a total lack of remorse for serious wrongdoing.
  * [[本性难移]] (běn xìng nán yí) - "A leopard can't change its spots." Refers to one's fundamental nature being hard to change, whereas 屡教不改 focuses on the refusal to correct specific behaviors.
  * [[朽木不可雕]] (xiǔ mù bù kě diāo) - "Rotten wood cannot be carved." A metaphor for a person who is hopeless and cannot be educated or improved, expressing a similar sense of futility.
  * [[江山易改，本性难移]] (jiāng shān yì gǎi, běn xìng nán yí) - The full proverb: "It's easier to change rivers and mountains than a person's fundamental nature." A well-known saying that shares a pessimistic view on the possibility of change.