舊 (jiù) - Old & ancient

舊Tone 4

jiù ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

傑君

舊 · jiù

Old;

ancient;

former;

past;

used to be;

old-fashioned;

outdated.

Oldancientformer

Usage highlights

Old friendOld timesOld thingsOld societyOld habitOld book

Synonyms

  • 老— old (in age or duration)
  • 古— ancient
  • 陈— stale; old (often of things)

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This is my old house (旧房子).
  • He is my former classmate (旧同学).
  • We still follow some old customs (旧习俗).
  • This book is an old edition (旧版本).

Collocations

  • Old friend(旧友)
  • Old times(旧时)
  • Old things(旧物)
  • Old society(旧社会)
  • Old habit(旧习)
  • Old book(旧书)

Idioms

  • To discard the old and embrace the new(弃旧图新)
  • Old hatred and new grievance(旧恨新仇)
  • To renew an old friendship(重修旧好)
  • To follow the same old routine(因循守旧)
  • Old scores and new grudges(旧怨新仇)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Represents tradition and continuity, but can also imply conservatism or resistance to change.
  • Often contrasted with 新 (new) in Chinese philosophy and political discourse to discuss progress versus tradition.
  • Used in historical context to refer to pre-revolutionary or pre-modern China (e.g., 旧社会 - old society).

FAQ