Meaning
积习 refers to habits or customs that have been formed over a long period of time and have become deeply rooted, often difficult to change. The term typically carries a negative connotation, suggesting problematic or undesirable patterns of behavior that have accumulated over time.
Usage
This is a formal, literary term most commonly used in written Chinese or formal speech. It frequently appears in the idiom 积习难改 (jī xí nán gǎi, 'old habits die hard'). Native speakers use it when discussing entrenched social customs, organizational cultures, or personal behaviors that resist change.
Examples
- 01这个公司的官僚积习已深，很难在短时间内改变。, .This company's bureaucratic habits are deeply ingrained and difficult to change in a short time.
- 02俗话说，积习难改，要改掉多年的坏习惯确实不容易。, , .As the saying goes, old habits die hard; it's truly not easy to get rid of bad habits formed over many years.
Characters
Measure words
- 种一种积习
Common collocations
- 积习难改old habits die hard
- 革除积习to eliminate long-standing bad habits
- 积习已深the habit is deeply ingrained
Origin
The word combines 积 (accumulate) and 习 (habit), literally meaning 'accumulated habit.' This reflects the Chinese understanding that habits become more entrenched the longer they persist.