人心不古 — “People's hearts are no longer as simple and honest as in ancient times”
人心不古 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “People's hearts are no longer as simple and honest as in ancient times”. Public morality has degenerated, often implying a decline in moral values and integrity.
Frequency
人心不古 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 人rén
- 心xīn
- 不bù
- 古gǔ
人心不古 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 人心不古
如今社会发展迅速，许多人感叹世风日下，人心不古，怀念着过去的纯朴善良
With society developing so rapidly nowadays, many people lament the decline of public morality and the change in people's hearts, longing for the simplicity and kindness of the past.
Origin and Story of 人心不古
During the Tang Dynasty, the poet Liu Changqing wrote the poem 'Listening to the Zither': 'On the cold seven strings, quietly listening to the chilling wind in the pines; though I cherish ancient tunes, few people play them nowadays.'
He expressed his lament over the changing ways of the world and human hearts, feeling that people's hearts were no longer what they used to be.
Through this, he satirized contemporary people for not being as noble as their predecessors, with a strong sense of finding few true connoisseurs.
Idioms Related to 人心不古
Synonyms of 人心不古
More idioms starting with 人
- rén人yī一jǐ己bǎi百make hundredfold effort to catch up
- rén人dīng丁xīng兴wàng旺a flourishing and growing family
- rén人bù不wèi为jǐ己，，tiān天zhū诛dì地miè灭Heaven and Earth condemn the unselfish
- rén人bù不rén人，，guǐ鬼bù不guǐ鬼looking ghastly or grotesque
- rén人bù不kě可mào貌xiàng相Don't judge a person by appearance
- rén人bù不kě可mào貌xiàng相，，hǎi海shuǐ水bù不kě可dǒu斗liáng量Never judge a person by appearance
- rén人bù不fàn犯wǒ我，，wǒ我bù不fàn犯rén人I will not offend unless offended
- rén人bù不zhī知，，guǐ鬼bù不jué觉done in complete secrecy
- rén人bù不liáo聊shēng生people can't make a living
- rén人bù不zì自ān安people are feeling uneasy
- rén人shì世cāng沧sāng桑the vicissitudes of human life
- rén人zhōng中zhī之lóng龙an outstanding person
Questions about 人心不古
- What does 人心不古 mean?
- 人心不古 (rén xīn bù gǔ) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “People's hearts are no longer as simple and honest as in ancient times”.
- How do you pronounce 人心不古?
- 人心不古 is pronounced rén xīn bù gǔ in Mandarin Chinese.
- Where does 人心不古 come from?
- 人心不古 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 人心不古?
- 古：指古代的社会风尚。旧时指人心奸诈、刻薄，没有古人淳厚。