Chinese edit

old old
 
each other; appearance; portrait
each other; appearance; portrait; picture; one another; mutually
to follow
trad. (陳陳相因)
simp. (陈陈相因)

Etymology edit

Originally refers to the way old grains a stockpiled in warehouses:

陳陳相因充溢腐敗不可 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
陈陈相因充溢腐败不可 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
Tàicāng zhī sù, chénchén xiàngyīn, chōngyì lùjī yú wài, zhì fǔbài bùkě shí. [Pinyin]
In the Imperial Granary, old grains are stacked upon even older ones and are in turn followed by more old grains. They overflow the storage and are exposed outside in piles, until becoming rotten and unfit for consumption.

Pronunciation edit


Idiom edit

陳陳相因

  1. (figurative) to become stagnant or obsolete due to rigid adherence to tradition; to be devoid of any innovation