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古今中外 (gǔ jīn zhōng wài) — (idiom) at all times and in all places; throughout history and across the world

Definition

A fixed chengyu meaning 'in all times and places' — used as a sweeping frame to claim something has always and everywhere been true. Lifts a single statement to a universal, historical scope.

idiom
at all times and in all placesthroughout history and across the world

Examples

  • 古今中外，。
    gǔ jīn zhōng wài, Rén men dōu kě wàng hé píng.
    At all times and in all places, people long for peace.
  • 古今中外。
    Zhè ge dào lǐ gǔ jīn zhōng wài dōu shì yòng.
    This principle applies at all times and in all places.
  • 古今中外，。
    gǔ jīn zhōng wài, Méi yǒu bù láo ér huò de shì qing.
    Throughout history and across the world, there is no such thing as getting something for nothing.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

古今
古gǔancient今jīnpresent
联合Coordinate
中外
中zhōngChina外wàioutside
联合Coordinate

古今 (ancient and modern) and 中外 (China and abroad) together mean all times and places.

Characters in this word

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.

Open 古 →

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.

Open 今 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
卜卜bǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
月
月yuè外wài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

外 pairs 卜 with 月, a crescent moon; in its older form, the 卜 part had a horizontal bar extending outward, giving the sense of outside.

Open 外 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HistoryIdioms & Set Phrases

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.