抱残守缺
抱残守缺 (bào cán shǒu quē) literally means “embrace the incomplete, guard the deficient” and expresses “cling to the old and outdated; resist progress”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: bao can shou que, bao can shou que,抱残守缺 meaning, 抱残守缺 in english
Cling to the old and outdated; resist progress
Pronunciation: bào cán shǒu quē Literal meaning: Embrace the incomplete, guard the deficient
Origin & Usage
Liu Xin, arguing with the court scholars over which versions of the classics should be taught, accused them of clinging (抱) to what was damaged (残) and guarding (守) what was missing (缺), holding to a private fear of being proved wrong instead of a public willingness to follow what is right. The complaint was about textual scholarship and about vested interest in it. Modern usage keeps the shape and drops the philology, describing anyone defending an inadequate arrangement because it is the one they know.
Examples
English: "The company's resistance to new technology showed they were clinging to outdated methods."
Chinese: 公司对新技术的抵制表明他们抱残守缺。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
抱薪救火
bào xīn jiù huǒ
Make situation worse
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名存实亡
míng cún shí wáng
Exist in name only
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画饼充饥
huà bǐng chōng jī
Empty promises satisfy nothing
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大相径庭
dà xiāng jìng tíng
Vastly different; poles apart
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故步自封
gù bù zì fēng
Refuse to move beyond past methods
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名副其实
míng fù qí shí
Living up to one's name or reputation
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画地为牢
huà dì wéi láo
Self-imposed restrictions; limiting oneself
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栩栩如生
xǔ xǔ rú shēng
Lifelike; vividly realistic
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 抱残守缺 mean in English?
抱残守缺 (bào cán shǒu quē) literally translates to “Embrace the incomplete, guard the deficient” and is used to express “Cling to the old and outdated; resist progress”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 抱残守缺 used?
Situation: The company's resistance to new technology showed they were clinging to outdated methods.
What is the pinyin for 抱残守缺?
The pinyin pronunciation for 抱残守缺 is “bào cán shǒu quē”.