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積重難返

简积重难返 · 繁積重難返

Mandarin · pinyin jī zhòng nán fǎn

ingrained habits are hard to overcome (idiom); bad old practices die hard

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Characters in this entry

積: Look up this written character
重: zhòng · heavy, weighty; double
難: Look up this written character
返: fǎn · return, revert to, restore
积: jī · accumulate, store up, amass
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

1–4–2–3 · ji1 zhong4 nan2 fan3

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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.

積重難返 · find source passages ↗ · 积重难返 · find source passages ↗

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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 bad habits or practices are difficult to change or get rid of

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

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