时代变了，不能刻舟求剑。
Times have changed — don't cling to outdated methods.
Daily Chengyu
刻舟求剑
To stick rigidly to outdated methods.
Literal Meaning: Carve the boat to find a sword.
刻carve
舟boat
求seek
剑sword
Today's Situation
A company keeps using 2010 marketing tactics for TikTok audiences.
Perfect Chengyu: 刻舟求剑
Actual Meaning
Fails to adapt when circumstances change — like marking where a sword fell into the river on a moving boat.
Emotional toneCritical, cautionary
Usage feelOften negative or critical
FormalityNeutral
English Equivalent
- Stick to outdated ways.
- Fail to adapt.
- Miss the moving target.
English equivalents capture the general idea, but they may not fit every context exactly.
Modern Usage Example
Applying old laws to the internet without updates is 刻舟求剑.
Chinese Example Sentences
他的想法太刻舟求剑了。
His thinking is too rigid for changing reality.
Origin Story
A man dropped his sword in a river and carved a mark on his boat, then searched at the mark though the boat had moved.
When Natives Use It
Good fit
- Business transformation
- Tech adoption
- Policy reform
Avoid
Common in essays about innovation.
- Common in speech
- Common in writing
- Sounds natural today
- Possible but uncommon in casual chat
- More common in writing or commentary
- Use with care — can sound critical
Similar and Opposite Chengyu
Daily Quiz
Which best matches 刻舟求剑?
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