积重难返 jī zhòng nán fǎn Deep-rooted problems

Explanation

指长期形成的错误思想、作风或习惯，很难纠正或改变。

Refers to wrong thoughts, styles, or habits formed over a long period of time, which are difficult to correct or change.

Origin Story

话说清朝时期，有一个叫做李成的官员，他为人正直，勤政爱民。但是，他所在的官场却充斥着贪污腐败，歪风邪气。李成刚开始还试图改变现状，但由于积弊已深，许多陋习早已根深蒂固，加上一些老官僚的阻挠，他的改革举措屡屡受挫。他屡次上书皇帝，陈述弊政，呼吁改革，但效果甚微。许多人劝他放弃，说官场陋习积重难返，他一个人无力回天。然而，李成始终坚守着自己的信念，他相信只要坚持不懈，总有一天能够扭转乾坤。日复一日，他默默地为民办事，以自己的行动影响着周围的人。最终，他的坚持得到了回报，随着越来越多的人觉醒，官场风气逐渐好转，贪污腐败现象也得到了有效遏制。李成的故事说明，即使积弊已深，只要坚持不懈，努力改变，总会有希望。

huà shuō qīng cháo shí qī, yǒu yīgè jiào zuò lǐ chéng de guān yuán, tā wéi rén zhèng zhí, qín zhèng ài mín. dàn shì, tā suǒ zài de guān chǎng què chōng chì zhe tān wū fǔ bài, wāi fēng xié qì. lǐ chéng gāng kāishǐ hái shìtú gǎibiàn xiànzhuàng, dàn yóuyú jībì yǐ shēn, xǔduō lòuxí záo yǐ gēn shēn dì gù, jiā shang yīxiē lǎo guān liáo de zǔráo, tā de gǎigé jǔcuò lǚ lǚ shòu cuò. tā lǚ cì shàng shū huángdì, chén shù bì zhèng, hūyù gǎigé, dàn xiào guǒ shèn wēi. xǔduō rén quàn tā fàng qì, shuō guān chǎng lòuxí jī zhòng nán fǎn, tā yīgè rén wú lì huí tiān. rán'ér, lǐ chéng shǐzhōng jiānshǒu zhe zìjǐ de xìnyàn, tā xiāngxìn zhǐyào jiānchí bù xiè, zǒng yǒu yītiān nénggòu niǔzhuǎn qián kūn. rì fù yī rì, tā mòmò de wèi mín bàn shì, yǐ zìjǐ de xíngdòng yǐngxiǎng zhe zhōuwéi de rén. zuì zhōng, tā de jiānchí dédào le huí bào, suízhe yuè lái yuè duō de rén juéxǐng, guān chǎng fēng qì zhújiàn hǎo zhuǎn, tān wū fǔ bài xiànxiàng yě dédào le yǒuxiào èzhì. lǐ chéng de gùshì shuōmíng, jíshǐ jībì yǐ shēn, zhǐyào jiānchí bù xiè, nǔlì gǎibiàn, zǒng huì yǒu xīwàng

In ancient China, there was an honest official named Li Cheng. However, his office was filled with corruption and bad practices. Although Li Cheng tried to change this, the problems were deeply rooted. Many old officials resisted his reforms, and many tried to persuade him that the corrupt practices were impossible to change. But Li Cheng did not give up and continued to serve the people. He believed that his perseverance would eventually bear fruit, and eventually more and more officials joined forces with him. Eventually, the situation in his office improved and corruption was kept in check. Li Cheng’s story illustrates that even deep-rooted problems can be changed with perseverance and constant effort.

Usage

用作宾语、定语；指长期形成的习惯难以改变。

yòng zuò bīn yǔ, dìng yǔ; zhǐ cháng qī xíngchéng de xíguàn nán yǐ gǎibiàn

Used as an object or attributive; refers to the difficulty of changing long-established habits.

Examples

• 这家公司的管理体制积重难返，急需改革。

  zhè jiā gōngsī de guǎnlǐ tǐzhì jī zhòng nán fǎn, jí xū gǎigé

  The management system of this company is deeply ingrained and needs urgent reform.

• 他多年的坏习惯积重难返，很难改变。

  tā duō nián de huài xíguàn jī zhòng nán fǎn, hěn nán gǎibiàn

  His bad habits of many years are difficult to change.

Related Idioms

• 积习难改

• 根深蒂固

Opposite Idioms

• 改弦更张

• 拨乱反正