每天成语
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除旧布新

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: chú jiù bù xīn
  • English Translation: Out with the old, in with the new
  • Idiom Composition: 「除」（To remove, eliminate, or get rid of.）＋「旧」（Old, outdated, or obsolete things and customs.）＋「布」（To spread, announce, or establish (literally to 'deploy').）＋「新」（New things, fresh systems, or a new beginning.）
  • Meaning: To get rid of old systems, habits, or things and replace them with new ones. It is frequently used in the context of political reform, organizational renewal, or the traditional customs of welcoming the Lunar New Year.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「除旧布新」 contains the following nuances:

  • Renewal and Construction: Unlike idioms that only focus on discarding the old, this phrase emphasizes the constructive side of 'establishing' (布 - bù) something better in its place.
  • Seasonal Transition: In the context of the Lunar New Year, it refers to the symbolic act of sweeping away the 'dust' (misfortune) of the past year to welcome the blessings of the new one.

3. Usage

「除旧布新」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Social and Organizational Reform: Used as a slogan or a descriptor when fundamentally changing systems, habits, or personnel. It carries a formal and decisive tone.
    • Example:「新任市长上任后，实行了一系列除旧布新的政策。」
      （After taking office, the new mayor implemented a series of radical reforms.)
  • New Year and Spring Festival: A common set phrase used when discussing New Year's cleaning or resolutions to start fresh.
    • Example:「春节快到了，家家户户都在忙着大扫除，除旧布新。」
      （Spring Festival is approaching, and every household is busy with a deep clean to ring in the new.)
  • Technological and Cultural Updates: Describes a situation where old technologies or ideas are phased out to make way for new trends.
    • Example:「科技行业发展迅速，时刻都在除旧布新。」
      （The tech industry develops rapidly, constantly replacing the old with the new.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 这家百年老店通过除旧布新的改革，重新焕发了活力。
    （This century-old shop regained its vitality through innovative reforms.）
  2. 除旧布新不仅是形式上的改变，更是思想上的革新。
    （Out with the old and in with the new is not just a formal change, but an ideological innovation.）
  3. 我们要敢于除旧布新，打破陈规陋习。
    （We must dare to break with the past and shatter outdated rules and bad habits.）
  4. 在这个除旧布新的时代，不学习就会被淘汰。
    （In this era of constant renewal, those who do not learn will be left behind.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Source: This idiom originates from the Zuo Zhuan (左传), specifically the 17th year of Duke Zhao. It states that a comet (彗 - huì) is the means by which the heavens 'remove the old and establish the new.' In ancient China, the appearance of a comet was often interpreted as a sign that the old order was being swept away to make room for a new era.
  • Spring Festival Traditions: Today, the phrase is synonymous with Spring Festival (春节 - chūn jié) activities such as 'Spring Cleaning,' replacing old poetic couplets (对联 - duì lián) on doors with new ones, and wearing new clothes.
  • Political Significance: Throughout history, this phrase has been used as a powerful slogan by reformers and new dynasties to justify the legitimacy of changing laws or overthrowing an obsolete administration.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

除旧布新 (chú jiù bù xīn) is a formal idiom meaning to eliminate the obsolete and establish the fresh. While it serves as a sophisticated term for institutional reform, it is also a household phrase during the Spring Festival (春节 - chūn jié), describing the act of clearing out the old year's bad luck to make room for new fortune. The term originates from ancient astronomical beliefs where comets were seen as omens of cosmic renewal.

Idiom Essay

chú jiù bù xīn
除旧布新
Out with the Old, In with the New
shēng huó生活zhōng中，yǒu shí hòu有时候wǒ men我们huì会jué de觉得“dǔ堵”。

In life, sometimes we feel "stuck."

fáng jiān房间lǐ里duī mǎn堆满le了dōng xī东西，zhǎo bú dào找不到xū yào需要de的wù pǐn物品；huò zhě或者xīn lǐ心里zhuāng mǎn装满le了guò qù过去de的fán nǎo烦恼，xiǎng yào想要gǎi biàn改变，què却jué de觉得xīn新shēng huó生活zěn me怎么yě也jìn进bù不lái来。

The room is piled with things, making it impossible to find what we need; or the heart is filled with past troubles, wanting to change but feeling like a new life just can't enter.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里yǒu有yí gè一个chéng yǔ成语，zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来xíng róng形容dǎ pò打破zhè zhǒng这种zhuàng tài状态de的guò chéng过程，jiào叫“chú jiù bù xīn除旧布新”。

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically used to describe the process of breaking this state, called 除旧布新.

zhè ge这个cí词de的jié gòu结构hěn很qīng xī清晰，tā它bāo hán包含liǎng gè两个dòng zuò动作：“chú jiù除旧”hé和“bù xīn布新”。

The structure of this word is very clear, containing two actions: 除旧 and 布新.

“chú除”，shì是qīng chú清除、qù diào去掉；“bù布”，shì是ān pái安排、zhǎn kāi展开。

除 means to clear or remove; 布 means to arrange or unfold.

hé合qǐ lái起来de的yì si意思jiù shì就是：qīng chú清除jiù旧de的jī bì积弊，cái néng才能jiàn lì建立xīn新de的qì xiàng气象。

The combined meaning is: only by clearing away old abuses can a new atmosphere be established.

qǐng请zhù yì注意tā它de的shùn xù顺序：bì xū必须xiān先“chú jiù除旧”，cái néng才能“bù xīn布新”。

Please note its order: one must first 除旧 before one can 布新.

zhè这jiù就xiàng像wǒ men我们zài在chūn jié春节qián前yí dìng一定yào要zuò做de的dà sǎo chú大扫除。

This is just like the big spring cleaning we must do before the Lunar New Year.

rú guǒ如果bù不bǎ把jiǎo luò角落lǐ里de的huī chén灰尘sǎo扫chū qù出去，bù不bǎ把méi yòng没用de的jiù wù旧物rēng diào扔掉，jiā lǐ家里jiù就méi yǒu没有kōng jiān空间qù去tiē贴xīn新de的duì lián对联，yě也méi yǒu没有qīng shuǎng清爽de的dì fāng地方qù去yíng jiē迎接xīn新yī nián一年de的yùn qì运气。

If you don't sweep out the dust in the corners and throw away useless old items, there will be no space in the house to paste new couplets, and no fresh place to welcome the luck of the new year.

zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语zuì最hé xīn核心de的zhì huì智慧，zài yú在于tā它qiáng diào强调le了“kōng jiān空间”de的zhòng yào xìng重要性。

The core wisdom of this idiom lies in its emphasis on the importance of "space."

hěn很duō多shí hòu时候，wǒ men我们wú fǎ无法kāi shǐ开始yī duàn一段xīn新shēng huó生活，bìng并bú shì不是yīn wèi因为méi yǒu没有jī huì机会，ér shì而是yīn wèi因为jiù旧de的xí guàn习惯、jiù旧de的sī wéi思维，shèn zhì甚至shì是bù zài不再xū yào需要de的qíng xù情绪，zhàn mǎn占满le了wǒ men我们de的kōng jiān空间。

Many times, we cannot start a new life not because there are no opportunities, but because old habits, old thinking, and even emotions that are no longer needed occupy all our space.

rú guǒ如果nǐ你bù不zhǔ dòng主动bǎ把shǒu lǐ手里de的jiù旧dōng xī东西fàng xià放下，jiù就téng腾bù不chū shǒu出手lái来jiē接zhù住xīn新de的lǐ wù礼物。

If you don't take the initiative to put down the old things in your hands, you won't have a free hand to catch new gifts.

suǒ yǐ所以，“chú jiù bù xīn除旧布新”bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅kě yǐ可以yòng用zài在jié rì节日de的dà sǎo chú大扫除，huò zhě或者gōng sī公司de的gǎi gé改革shàng上。

Therefore, 除旧布新 can be used for more than just holiday cleaning or company reforms.

tā它gèng更xiàng像shì是yī zhǒng一种duì对shēng huó生活de的tí xǐng提醒：xiǎng yào想要yōng bào拥抱xīn新de的biàn huà变化，wǎng wǎng往往xū yào需要xiān先yǒu有yì diǎn一点“duàn shě lí断舍离”de的yǒng qì勇气。

It is more like a reminder for life: to embrace new changes, one often needs the courage to let go.

xià cì下次dāng当nǐ你jué de觉得shēng huó生活tíng zhì bù qián停滞不前，huò zhě或者xiǎng yào想要chóng xīn重新chū fā出发shí时，yě xǔ也许kě yǐ可以shì zhe试着qīng lǐ清理yī xià一下fáng jiān房间，huò zhě或者qīng lǐ清理yī xià一下xīn qíng心情。

Next time you feel life is stagnant or want to start over, maybe try cleaning your room or clearing your mood.

nǐ你huì会fā xiàn发现，dāng当nǐ你téng chū腾出kōng jiān空间de的nà yī kè那一刻，suǒ wèi所谓de的“xīn新”，qí shí其实jiù就yǐ jīng已经kāi shǐ开始le了。

You will find that the moment you make space, the so-called "new" has actually already begun.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

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