老一套 (lǎo yī tào) — the same old stuff; the same old routine; the same old story
Definition
A dismissive term for 'the same old routine/stuff' — always carries a bored, negative tone. No real near-synonyms at HSK; just use it when the speaker is unimpressed by repetition.
noun
the same old stuffthe same old routinethe same old story
Examples
- 老一套，。Tā hái zài yòng lǎo yī tào de fāng fǎ, gēn běn bù kǎo lǜ xīn sī lù.He's still using the same old methods, not considering new ideas at all.
- 老一套，。Měi nián chūn jié de qìng zhù huó dòng dōu shì lǎo yī tào, méi shén me xīn yì.The Spring Festival celebrations are the same old routine every year, no novelty.
- 老一套，。Tā měi cì yǎn jiǎng dōu jiǎng lǎo yī tào, tīng zhòng zǎo jiù tīng nì le.He gives the same old speech every time, and the audience is long tired of hearing it.
Origin
Compound word构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head
The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.
老 means old, 一 means one, and 套 means set; together they give the same old set.
Appears in
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