根深蒂固
- Literal
- deep roots and a firm stem
- Figurative
- So deeply rooted — a habit, a prejudice, an idea — that it has become very hard to change or to pull out.
Where does 根深蒂固 come from?
The image is a plant nobody can pull up: 根 is the root and 蒂 the stem that holds the fruit to the branch; if one runs deep and the other holds tight, no amount of tugging helps. The same metaphor already appears in the 《老子》 in a different order and with 柢 ("taproot") instead of 蒂: 深根固柢, deep root and firm base as an image of what lasts. Today it is applied mostly to intangible things — ideas, prejudices, customs, vested interests — and usually carries a negative charge.
Source (出处): 《老子》
How is 根深蒂固 used? Two examples
- 这种偏见根深蒂固，一时改不了。
That prejudice is deeply rooted; it won't change overnight.
- 重男轻女的观念在有些地方还根深蒂固。
The idea of favoring sons over daughters is still deeply rooted in some places.
In Wanyu, all 400 chengyu have audio on every sentence, and you can save them to your decks and review them with spaced repetition. Free.
