📖 Meaning
Literally meaning to repeat the compass and accumulate the square, this idiom refers to following the same rules and standards as one's predecessors, conforming to established norms. It can also carry a negative connotation of merely copying or repeating without innovation.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the preface to 'Ode to the White Rabbit' (白兔赋) by Wang Yan of the Jin dynasty, preserved in the 'Yiwen Leiju' (艺文类聚), a Tang-era encyclopedia. In the preface, Wang Yan compares a auspicious white rabbit sighting during his king's reign to the legendary white pheasant presented to the Duke of Zhou, suggesting both events followed the same auspicious pattern. He uses the phrase to praise the ruler for matching the virtuous precedent of the ancient sage, calling it '重规累矩' — conforming to the same noble standard.
💡 Example Usage
这篇文章结构重规累矩，缺乏新意。
This article's structure merely repeats established conventions and lacks originality.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 重规累矩
- Pinyin: chóng guī lèi jǔ
- Literal Translation: repeat, compass, accumulate, square
- Category: Method
- Characters: 4