老生常谈
老生常谈 (lǎo shēng cháng tán) literally means “old scholar's common talk” and expresses “a stale platitude”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: lao sheng chang tan, lao sheng chang tan,老生常谈 meaning, 老生常谈 in english
A stale platitude
Pronunciation: lǎo shēng cháng tán Literal meaning: Old scholar's common talk
Origin & Usage
He Yan and Deng Yang, powerful and uneasy, summoned the diviner Guan Lu and asked what their prospects were. He told them to be humble and generous, and to fear what their positions invited. Deng Yang dismissed it as the stale talk (常谈) of an old student (老生). Both men were executed within the year. The phrase now means a platitude, and the story sits behind it as a standing joke: the advice was indeed unoriginal, and it was also correct, and dismissing it on the first ground cost them the benefit of the second.
Examples
English: "His advice was just the same old story that everyone has heard before."
Chinese: 他的建议只是大家听过的老生常谈。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
高谈阔论
gāo tán kuò lùn
Empty grandiose talk
Learn more →
谈虎色变
tán hǔ sè biàn
Turn pale at the mere mention of it
Learn more →
夸夸其谈
kuā kuā qí tán
All talk no substance
Learn more →
笑口常开
xiào kǒu cháng kāi
May you always be happy and smiling
Learn more →
知足常乐
zhī zú cháng lè
Contentment with what one has brings happiness
Learn more →
返老还童
fǎn lǎo huán tóng
Regain vitality
Learn more →
变化无常
biàn huà wú cháng
Unpredictable nature
Learn more →
反复无常
fǎn fù wú cháng
Unpredictable behavior
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 老生常谈 mean in English?
老生常谈 (lǎo shēng cháng tán) literally translates to “Old scholar's common talk” and is used to express “A stale platitude”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 老生常谈 used?
Situation: His advice was just the same old story that everyone has heard before.
What is the pinyin for 老生常谈?
The pinyin pronunciation for 老生常谈 is “lǎo shēng cháng tán”.