墨守成规

墨守成規

mòshǒu-chéngguī

idiom #28,138

Meanings

1 to stick rigidly to rules
2 to be hidebound by convention
3 to follow outdated practices without questioning

Characters

ink; Mozi; dark

to guard; to defend; to keep

established; completed; formed

rule; regulation; convention

Examples

HSK 5

他总是墨守成规，从不愿意尝试新方法。

Tā zǒngshì mòshǒu-chéngguī, cóngbù yuànyì chángshì xīn fāngfǎ.

He always sticks rigidly to rules and never wants to try new methods.

HSK 6

创新需要突破墨守成规的思维方式。

Chuàngxīn xūyào tūpò mòshǒu-chéngguī de sīwéi fāngshì.

Innovation requires breaking free from hidebound thinking.

Tips

history

墨 refers to Mozi (墨子), the founder of Mohism, who was known for his strict adherence to defensive tactics (守城, defending a city). 守成规 = to hold onto established rules. Combined: stubbornly defending old conventions.

memory

Imagine someone clutching an ink brush (墨), standing guard (守) over a dusty old rulebook (成规) and refusing to let anyone change it.

Stroke Order

墨 mò

守 shǒu

成 chéng

规 guī