







学步邯郸 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to imitate others slavishly and lose one's own originality”. To try to ape others and lose one's own identity. Literally, “learning to walk in Handan”.
During the Warring States period, the people of Handan, the capital of the State of Zhao, were known for their elegant and graceful way of walking, which was much admired and envied by outsiders.
A young man from Shoulíng in the State of Yan was particularly fascinated by the Handan style of walking. He traveled to Handan specifically to learn it. He meticulously observed, imitated, and practiced.
After some time, he not only failed to learn their elegant gait but also completely forgot his own original way of walking.

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Open the tool →学步邯郸 (xué bù hán dān) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to imitate others slavishly and lose one's own originality”.
学步邯郸 is pronounced xué bù hán dān in Mandarin Chinese.
Literally, 学步邯郸 means “learning to walk in Handan”. It is used to mean “to imitate others slavishly and lose one's own originality”.
学步邯郸 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
学步:学习走路。比喻机械地模仿,不但学不互别人的长处,反而会把自己原有的本事也丢掉。