Definition
墨守成规 is a chengyu (four-character idiom) that literally refers to 'guarding the rules like Mozi' but now means being overly conservative and unwilling to adapt to new situations. It carries a negative tone, often used to criticize rigid thinking or outdated methods in work, study, or management.
v.o.
to stick to old waysto be conservative and resist change
Examples
- 墨守成规，。Gōngsī rúguǒ yìzhí mò shǒu chéng guī, jiù huì bèi shìchǎng táotài.If a company always sticks to old ways, it will be eliminated by the market.
- 墨守成规，。Niánqīngrén búyào mò shǒu chéng guī, yào yǒngyú chángshì xīn fāngfǎ.Young people shouldn't be hidebound; they should dare to try new methods.
- 墨守成规。Jiàoyù gǎigé bìxū dǎpò mò shǒu chéng guī de sīxiǎng.Educational reform must break away from conservative thinking.
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