故土难离

Pronunciation: gù tǔ nán lí Literal meaning: Native soil hard to leave

Origin & Usage

Old (故) ground (土) is hard (难) to leave (离). 故土 is the earth one comes from, and 故 is the character in 故乡 and 故人 — what is old and one's own, rather than merely former. The phrase does not argue that leaving is wrong, only that it costs, which is why it turns up in accounts of migration and resettlement as an explanation of reluctance. The tone is sympathetic, and it is often said about people who left anyway.

Examples

English: "Despite the opportunities elsewhere, he couldn't bring himself to leave."

Chinese: 尽管别处有机会，他仍故土难离。