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(bào cán shǒu quē) literally means “embrace the incomplete, guard the deficient” and expresses “cling to the old and outdated; resist progress”.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Cling to the old and outdated; resist progress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
This idiom describes embracing (抱) the incomplete (残) and guarding (守) the deficient (缺). Originally from Liu Xiang's writings, it described scholars who stubbornly preserved corrupted or incomplete texts. The phrase criticizes those who cling to outdated or imperfect things while rejecting improvement. Modern usage criticizes conservative attitudes that resist beneficial change.
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English: "The company's resistance to new technology showed they were clinging to outdated methods."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
一波三折
yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Love ease, hate work
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Extremes lead to reversal
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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近水楼台
jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Advantage from close connections
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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因果报应
yīn guǒ bào yìng
Actions have consequences
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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quē) literally translates to “Embrace the incomplete, guard the deficient” and is used to express “Cling to the old and outdated; resist progress”.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Situation: The company's resistance to new technology showed they were clinging to outdated methods.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”.