墨守成规 (mò shǒu chéng guī) — to stick to old ways; to be conservative and resist change
Definition
A formal, written four-character idiom meaning to stubbornly stick to old rules and resist change, with a negative connotation. Use it in writing or speeches, not casual conversation.
verb
to stick to old waysto be conservative and resist change
Examples
- 墨守成规，。Gōng sī rú guǒ yì zhí mò shǒu chéng guī, jiù huì bèi shì chǎng táo tài.If a company always sticks to old ways, it will be eliminated by the market.
- 墨守成规，。Nián qīng rén bú yào mò shǒu chéng guī, yào yǒng yú cháng shì xīn fāng fǎ.Young people shouldn't be hidebound; they should dare to try new methods.
- 墨守成规。Jiào yù gǎi gé bì xū dǎ pò mò shǒu chéng guī de sī xiǎng.Educational reform must break away from conservative thinking.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.