📖 Meaning
Originally referred to farewell ceremonies for departing officials and welcoming ceremonies for newly arriving officials. It now broadly means to send away the old and welcome the new, including the replacement of people or things.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom traces back to the Book of Han (汉书), in the Biography of Wang Jia (王嘉传) of the Western Han dynasty. Wang Jia, a high-ranking official, memorialized the throne noting that some officials held office for only a few months before being dismissed, so the roads were constantly clogged with processions sending off departing officials and welcoming new ones. The phrase originally described the frequent turnover of government officials and the elaborate ceremonies accompanying each change. Over time it broadened to refer to any replacement of the old with the new.
💡 Example Usage
公司每年年底都会举办迎新送旧的活动，感谢离职员工的贡献。
The company holds a welcome-new-send-off-old event every year-end to thank departing employees for their contributions.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 迎新送旧
- Pinyin: yíng xīn sòng jiù
- Literal Translation: welcome, new, send off, old
- Category: Action
- Characters: 4