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积重难返

jī zhòng nán fǎndictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
ingrained habits are hard to overcome (idiom) / bad old practices die hard
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-f7c16704980054b5. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

積重難返 积重难返 [ji1 zhong4 nan2 fan3] /ingrained habits are hard to overcome (idiom); bad old practices die hard/

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: 積重難返

  • 积
    jī

    to amass / to accumulate / to store up / (math.) product (the result of multiplication) / (TCM) constipation / indigestion

  • 重
    chóng

    to repeat / repetition / again / re- / classifier: layer

    zhòng

    heavy / serious / to attach importance to

  • 难
    nán

    difficult (to...) / problem / difficulty / difficult / not good

    nàn

    disaster / distress / to scold

  • 返
    fǎn

    to return (to)

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.