How do you pronounce 墨守成规?

墨守成规 is pronounced mò shǒu chéng guī in Mandarin Chinese.

Where does 墨守成规 come from?

墨守成规 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to the modern era. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 墨守成规?

墨守：战国时墨翟善于守城；成规：现成的或久已通行的规则、方法。指思想保守，守着老规矩不肯改变。

墨守成规 — “Mozi's defense of established rules”

墨守成规 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to rigidly adhere to outdated rules or conventional practices, unwilling to adapt or innovate; to be hidebound or stuck in one's ways”. Literally, “Mozi's defense of established rules”.

Frequency

墨守成规 Pronunciation and Pinyin

墨mò
守shǒu
成chéng
规guī

墨守成规 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
墨	mò	15	black ink or pigment
守	shǒu	6	to guard, keep, or observe
成	chéng	7	to become or succeed
规	guī	8	rule, regulate, plan

Example Sentence with 墨守成规

这位设计师虽然技艺精湛，但总是墨守成规，不敢尝试新的风格和材料。

Although this designer possesses exquisite skills, he always sticks to old conventions and dares not try new styles and materials.

Origin and Story of 墨守成规

During the Warring States period, Mozi, who came from a background as a carpenter, advocated for universal love and non-aggression, promoting his doctrines everywhere.

When the Chu state planned to attack the Song state, Lu Ban designed siege ladders for the Chu army. Mozi urgently went to dissuade them from this war.

The King of Chu arranged a contest between Mozi and Lu Ban, a drill of offense and defense. Mozi excelled at defense, and Lu Ban was defeated. The King of Chu had no choice but to abandon the attack on the Song state.

This story illustrates Mozi's adherence to his principles, particularly in defense, which later became associated with rigidly sticking to established rules.

Idioms Related to 墨守成规

Synonyms of 墨守成规

Antonyms of 墨守成规

More idioms starting with 墨

Questions about 墨守成规

What does 墨守成规 mean?: 墨守成规 (mò shǒu chéng guī) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to rigidly adhere to outdated rules or conventional practices, unwilling to adapt or innovate; to be hidebound or stuck in one's ways”.
How do you pronounce 墨守成规?: 墨守成规 is pronounced mò shǒu chéng guī in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 墨守成规 literally mean?: Literally, 墨守成规 means “Mozi's defense of established rules”. It is used to mean “to rigidly adhere to outdated rules or conventional practices, unwilling to adapt or innovate; to be hidebound or stuck in one's ways”.
Where does 墨守成规 come from?: 墨守成规 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to the modern era. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 墨守成规?: 墨守：战国时墨翟善于守城；成规：现成的或久已通行的规则、方法。指思想保守，守着老规矩不肯改变。

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