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老毛病 (lǎo máo bìng) — (noun) chronic problem, recurring flaw, old habit (negative)

Definition

A figurative 'old ailment' for a recurring personal flaw or bad habit that's hard to shake. More pointed and negative than just calling something a 问题 or 缺点 — it implies a long-standing pattern.

noun
chronic problemrecurring flawold habit (negative)

Examples

  • ，老毛病。
    Tā zǒng shì chí dào, zhè zhēn shì tā de lǎo máo bìng.
    He always arrives late; this is really his chronic problem.
  • 老毛病。
    Zhè ge lǎo máo bìng hěn nán gǎi.
    This bad habit is hard to change.
  • 老毛病。
    Tā de lǎo máo bìng jiù shì zuò shì tài mǎ hu.
    His chronic problem is doing things too carelessly.

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lǎoold
毛病minor illness
毛máominor病bìngillness
偏正Modifier + head

老 “old” describes 毛病 “minor illness,” giving a chronic problem or recurring flaw.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

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

毛 is drawn as a feather or hair, with its strokes tracing the shape of the feather or hair.

Open 毛 →

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
疒疒nèsickness
Sound part声符shēngfú
丙
丙bǐng病bìng
Same sound today

病 pairs 疒, a sickness mark, with 丙, which gives the sound; 丙 also means fire, giving a picture of lying feverishly in bed.

Open 病 →
Appears in
Illness & Symptoms

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