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積習難改

简积习难改 · 繁積習難改

Mandarin · pinyin jī xí nán gǎi

old habits are hard to change (idiom)

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Characters in this entry

積: Look up this written character
習: xí · practice; flapping wings
難: Look up this written character
改: gǎi · change, alter; improve, remodel
积: jī · accumulate, store up, amass
习: xí · practice; flapping wings
难: nán · difficult, arduous, hard; unable

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1–2–2–3 · ji1 xi2 nan2 gai3

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

積習難改 · find source passages ↗ · 积习难改 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

zik1 zaap6 naan4 goi2

Cantonese word readings for 積習難改. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) established habits are difficult to change

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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