从古至今 (cóng gǔ zhì jīn) — from ancient times to the present; throughout h…

Definition

Fixed four-character idiom meaning 'from ancient times to the present' — used as a temporal frame for a long-standing truth or practice.

idiom

from ancient times to the presentthroughout history

从古至今，。
cóng gǔ zhì jīn, Rén lèi yì zhí zài zhuī qiú hé píng yǔ zì yóu.
From ancient times to the present, humanity has always pursued peace and freedom.
从古至今。
cóng gǔ zhì jīn De chuán tǒng gōng yì zài xiàn dài huà zhōng dé dào le xīn shēng mìng.
Crafts from ancient times to the present have gained new life in modernization.
从古至今。
Zhè ge wèn tí cóng gǔ zhì jīn jiù yǒu hěn duō bù tóng de kàn fǎ.
This issue has had many different viewpoints from ancient times to the present.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

从古from ancient times

从cóngfrom古gǔancient times

动宾Verb + object

至今to the present

动宾Verb + object

从古 and 至今 run together, spanning from ancient times to the present.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辵辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

从

Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

One reading of 古 sees a shield-like shape above an open mark, showing strength and firmness. Another sees a person spitting out bad-tasting food.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

至 is drawn as an arrow stuck into the ground.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

One explanation sees the shape as an upside-down mouth with a line below it, giving the idea of not speaking.