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革故鼎新

Mandarin · pinyin gé gù dǐng xīn

to discard the old and introduce the new (idiom); to innovate

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Characters in this entry

革: gé · leather, animal hides; Kangxi radical 177; hexagram ䷰
故: gù · ancient, old; reason, because
鼎: dǐng · large, three-legged bronze caldron; Kangxi radical 206; hexagram ䷱
新: xīn · new, recent, fresh, modern

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

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Mandarin tones

2–4–3–1 · ge2 gu4 ding3 xin1

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

gaak3 gu3 ding2 san1

Cantonese word readings for 革故鼎新. 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) to abolish the old and establish the new

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

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