老调重弹 (lǎo diào chóng tán) — to repeat the same old argument; to rehash the same old story

Definition

An idiom for rehashing the same old argument — a critical tone, like 'playing the same old tune again'. Use it when someone repeats stale ideas or complaints.

idiom
to repeat the same old argumentto rehash the same old story

Examples

  • 老调重弹，。
    Tā měi cì kāi huì dōu lǎo diào chóng tán, dà jiā zǎo jiù tīng nì le.
    He rehashes the same old tune at every meeting; everyone is already tired of hearing it.
  • 老调重弹，。
    Zhè piān wén zhāng bú guò shì lǎo diào chóng tán, méi yǒu shén me xīn guān diǎn.
    This article is just rehashing old arguments; there are no new viewpoints.
  • 老调重弹，。
    Bié zài lǎo diào chóng tán le, wǒ men dé xiǎng diǎn xīn bàn fǎ.
    Stop repeating the same old tune; we need to think of some new solutions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

老调old tune
老lǎoold调tiáotune
偏正Modifier + head
重弹play again
重zhòngagain弹tánplay
偏正Modifier + head

老 (old) + 调 (tune) + 重 (again) + 弹 (play) pictures an old tune being played again, hence repeating an old argument.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

Open 调 →

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
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng重zhòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Open 重 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 彈; 弹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōng
Sound part声符shēngfú
單
單dān彈tán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 彈 pairs 弓 (bow) with the sound part 單; the simplified 弹 is a shorthand.

Open 弹 →

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