老马识途
老马识途 (lǎo mǎ shí tú) literally means “old horse knows way” and expresses “experience brings wisdom”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: lao ma shi tu, lao ma shi tu,老马识途 meaning, 老马识途 in english
Experience brings wisdom
Pronunciation: lǎo mǎ shí tú Literal meaning: Old horse knows way
Origin & Usage
Returning from a campaign against Guzhu, the army of Duke Huan of Qi lost the road, and Guan Zhong proposed releasing the old horses (老马) and following them: they had walked the route before and would know the way (识途). They did, and the army got home. The Han Feizi tells it. What makes it a story rather than a fact about horses is that the proposal had to come from the most senior man present — the knowledge sat with the least prestigious members of the column, and it took authority to act on that.
Examples
English: "The veteran guide easily found the path in difficult terrain"
Chinese: 经验丰富的向导在困难地形中轻松找到道路
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
驷马难追
sì mǎ nán zhuī
Cannot undo what's done
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万马奔腾
wàn mǎ bēn téng
Powerful unstoppable momentum
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龙马精神
lóng mǎ jīng shén
Youthful vigor despite old age
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金戈铁马
jīn gē tiě mǎ
Magnificent military might and valor
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见多识广
jiàn duō shí guǎng
Broadly knowledgeable
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悬崖勒马
xuán yá lè mǎ
Stop before too late
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马马虎虎
mǎ mǎ hǔ hǔ
Just so-so or passable quality
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指鹿为马
zhǐ lù wéi mǎ
Deliberately distort truth as power display
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 老马识途 mean in English?
老马识途 (lǎo mǎ shí tú) literally translates to “Old horse knows way” and is used to express “Experience brings wisdom”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 老马识途 used?
Situation: The veteran guide easily found the path in difficult terrain
What is the pinyin for 老马识途?
The pinyin pronunciation for 老马识途 is “lǎo mǎ shí tú”.
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