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借古讽今

jiè gǔ fěng jīndictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
to use the past to disparage the present (idiom)
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-7600b582c50efca4. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

借古諷今 借古讽今 [jie4 gu3 feng3 jin1] /to use the past to disparage the present (idiom)/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 借古諷今

  • 借
    jiè

    to borrow / (used in combination with 給|给[gěi] or 出[chū] etc) to lend / to make use of / to avail oneself of / (sometimes followed by 著|着[zhe]) by / with

  • 古
    gǔ

    ancient / old / paleo-

    Gǔ

    surname Gu

  • 讽
    fěng

    to satirize / to mock / to recite / Taiwan pr. [fèng]

  • 今
    jīn

    now / the present time / current / contemporary / this (day, year etc)

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.