stick to conventions; rigid and inflexible
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to stick to conventions in an inflexible way; obstinate and unadaptable
formalLiterally means to glue the tuning pegs (柱) of the se (瑟, an ancient Chinese zither) so they cannot be adjusted, rendering the instrument unable to change pitch. Metaphorically describes someone who is stubbornly adherent to old ways and unable to adapt to changing circumstances.
Qíng情
kuàng况
biàn变
le了
，
bàn办
fǎ法
yě也
yào要
gǎi改
jìn进
，
bù不
néng能
jiāo胶
zhù柱
gǔ鼓
sè瑟
。
The situation has changed, so the methods must improve as well—one cannot stick rigidly to old ways.
Zuò做
guǎn管
lǐ理
bù不
néng能
jiāo胶
zhù柱
gǔ鼓
sè瑟
，
yào要
gēn根
jù据
shì市
chǎng场
biàn变
huà化
jí及
shí时
tiáo调
zhěng整
cè策
lüè略
。
Management cannot be rigid and inflexible; strategies must be adjusted promptly according to market changes.
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Tā他
suī虽
rán然
xué学
shí识
yuān渊
bó博
，
dàn但
yǒu有
shí时
wèi未
miǎn免
tài太
jiāo胶
zhù柱
gǔ鼓
sè瑟
，
bù不
dǒng懂
biàn变
tōng通
。
Although he is profoundly learned, he is sometimes too rigidly adherent to rules and fails to adapt.