swallow ancient learning without digesting; follow tradition too rigidly
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to study ancient knowledge without being able to apply it; to swallow ancient learning without digesting it; rigid adherence to tradition without adaptation
literaryA metaphorical expression criticizing those who learn from classics too rigidly without adapting to contemporary contexts. Often used in academic or cultural discussions to warn against mechanical imitation of the past.
Dú读
lì历
shǐ史
rú如
guǒ果
shí食
gǔ古
bù不
huà化
，
jiù就
wú无
fǎ法
yìng应
yòng用
yú于
xiàn现
dài代
shè社
huì会
。
If you study history without digesting it, you cannot apply it to modern society.
Xué学
xí习
chuán传
tǒng统
wén文
huà化
yào要
bì避
miǎn免
shí食
gǔ古
bù不
huà化
，
yīng应
gāi该
qǔ取
qí其
jīng精
huá华
qù去
qí其
zāo糟
pò粕
。
When learning traditional culture, one must avoid swallowing it whole without digesting it; instead, we should extract the essence and discard the dross.
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Zhè这
wèi位
jiào教
shòu授
suī虽
rán然
bó博
xué学
，
dàn但
yǒu有
shí时
xiǎn显
de得
shí食
gǔ古
bù不
huà化
。
Although this professor is erudite, he sometimes appears unable to adapt ancient learning to modern contexts.
Wǒ我
men们
bù不
néng能
shí食
gǔ古
bù不
huà化
，
ér而
yào要
bǎ把
gǔ古
dài代
zhì智
huì慧
hé和
xiàn现
dài代
shēng生
huó活
jié结
hé合
qǐ起
lái来
。
We cannot follow ancient texts too rigidly; instead, we must combine ancient wisdom with modern life.