根深蒂固 (gēn shēn dì gù) — (idiom) deep-rooted, deeply entrenched (of idea… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Idiom meaning 'deep-rooted, firmly entrenched' — used for entrenched ideas, biases, or habits that resist change. Unlike 排查 (a verb meaning to inspect/check for problems), this is a fixed descriptive phrase, not an action.

idiom

deep-rooteddeeply entrenched (of ideas, problems, habits)

Examples

根深蒂固，。
Zhè zhǒng chuán tǒng guān niàn gēn shēn dì gù, hěn nán zài duǎn shí jiān nèi gǎi biàn.
This traditional concept is deep-rooted and very hard to change in a short time.
根深蒂固，。
Shè huì zhōng de xǔ duō piān jiàn gēn shēn dì gù, xū yào cháng qī nǔ lì cái néng xiāo chú.
Many prejudices in society are deep-rooted and require long-term effort to eliminate.
根深蒂固。
gēn shēn dì gù De jiù xí guàn duì gè rén fā zhǎn yǒu hěn dà de zǔ ài zuò yòng.
Deep-rooted old habits greatly hinder personal development.

Origin

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.

木艮根

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn根gēn(r)

Same sound today

根 pairs 木 (tree/wood), pointing to plant roots, with 艮 as a sound part.

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

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

𥥍

𥥍𥥍深shēn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

深 is built from 氵, the side form of 水 “water”, and 𥥍, which supplies the sound.

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

艸艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

帝

帝dì蒂dì

Same sound today

The top 艸 marks a plant, and the lower 帝 gives the sound.

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

囗古固

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéi

Sound part声符shēngfú

古

古gǔ固gù

Same sound today

固 combines 囗, which relates to the meaning, with 古, which gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Idioms & Set Phrases

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