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旧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
旧jiùoldHSK 3, a, 5 strokes, radical 日, rank #1743, Medium
旧jiùopposite: new 新HSK 3, a, 5 strokes, radical 日, rank #1743, Medium
旧jiùformerHSK 3, a, 5 strokes, radical 日, rank #1743, Medium
旧jiùworn (with age)HSK 3, a, 5 strokes, radical 日, rank #1743, Medium
旧jiùold, ancient; former, pastHSK 3, a, 5 strokes, radical 日, rank #1743, Medium
jiù(jiu4)jiu T4
  1. 1old
  2. 2opposite: new 新
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March 24, 2026

旧(舊)jiù(jiu4)

The character 旧 (jiù) means 'old' and refers to something that has been used for a long time or is no longer new. It can describe objects, concepts, or even times, emphasizing their age or antiquity. In contrast to 新 (xīn), which means 'new', 旧 carries a sense of familiarity or nostalgia.

Strokes5Radical日Frequency#1743DifficultyMedium
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'old' is often respected, with traditions and historical artifacts valued for their age, reflecting a deep appreciation for heritage. The phrase 旧时光 (old times) evokes nostalgia for a simpler past.

Memory tip

Imagine a clock with its hands stuck at 'old' time, representing the past. The character 旧 (jiù) has a resemblance to an old, worn-out shoe; just like a shoe that has seen many walks, the concept of 'old' signifies something that has experienced much.

Meanings of 旧

jiù(jiu4)
1old
2opposite: new 新
Exercise 1 of 3

By ear

Play it, then pick what 旧 means.

About 旧

旧Simplified
舊Traditional
5Strokes
日Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#1743Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L3HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 旧

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Podcast: 旧

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AI study notes for 旧

Quick Contrast

旧 (jiù) vs 古 (gǔ) — use 旧 for something that is old but still familiar or in use, while 古 emphasizes ancientness or historical significance.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 旧 with 新 (xīn) when describing items. 旧 is typically used in informal contexts, but can appear in formal settings when discussing history or tradition. Common collocations include 旧书 (old book), 旧衣服 (old clothes), and 旧时代 (old era).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 3 word, 旧 connects well with other vocabulary related to time and objects, such as 新 (new) and 以前 (before). Focus on using 旧 in sentences that compare past and present items or events to reinforce its meaning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 旧 with 老 when describing people. For example, saying '他很旧' (He is very old) is incorrect; the correct form would be '他很老' (He is very old).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 旧

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Etymology of 旧

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 舊. Phonosemantic compound. 雈 represents the meaning and 臼 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "type of owl". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Memory hint

Older than 丨 the sun 日

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 旧?

Decomposition of 旧

IDS Structure⿰丨日
旧Full character
=
丨gun3
left
日Ri4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 旧?

How to say old in Chinese

“old” in Chinese is旧jiù

The character 旧 (jiù) means 'old' and refers to something that has been used for a long time or is no longer new. It can describe objects, concepts, or even times, emphasizing their age or antiquity. In contrast to 新 (xīn), which means 'new', 旧 carries a sense of familiarity or nostalgia.

When to use 旧

Be cautious not to confuse 旧 with 新 (xīn) when describing items. 旧 is typically used in informal contexts, but can appear in formal settings when discussing history or tradition. Common collocations include 旧书 (old book), 旧衣服 (old clothes), and 旧时代 (old era).

旧 or something close to it

旧 (jiù) vs 古 (gǔ) — use 旧 for something that is old but still familiar or in use, while 古 emphasizes ancientness or historical significance.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 旧 with 老 when describing people. For example, saying '他很旧' (He is very old) is incorrect; the correct form would be '他很老' (He is very old).

Write 旧

旧

Practice writing 旧 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 旧

旧 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

Related grammar lessons6
是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3

This pattern emphasizes the condition or state of being described, often used to describe attributes of nouns.

这本书是旧的。

Zhè běn shū shì jiù de.

This book is old.

Exercise 1 of 3

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

新的比____的好。

The new one is better than the old one.

Common confusions with 旧

旧vs久
jiǔ

Both characters sound similar but have different meanings.

旧vs就
jiù

Similar pronunciation but different meanings and usages.

旧 refers to something that is old or worn out, while 新 refers to something that is new.

1

这件衣服是旧的，而那件是新的。

旧 refers to something that is old or worn out, while 新 refers to something that is new.

💡Remember that 旧 is the opposite of 新.
Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “old”?

or

Usage Notes for 旧

Misusing 旧Common Error

Be careful not to use 旧 for things that are not actually old. It is specifically for worn or aged items.

1

这个手机是旧的。

This phone is old.

Using 旧 in comparisonsUsage

When comparing with 新, it's often necessary to maintain the context of 'old' versus 'new'.

1

这条路比那条旧。

This road is older than that one.

Exercise 1 of 1

Get it right

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

这个手机是____的。

This phone is old.

Example sentences for 旧 (14)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
你一直穿你的旧衣服，直到穿烂了为止吗？

nǐ yìzhí chuān nǐ de jiù yīfu， zhídào chuān làn le wéizhǐ ma？

Do you wear your old clothes until they fall to pieces?
2
别告诉我你仍旧相信那些东西。

bié gàosu wǒ nǐ réngjiù xiāngxìn nàxiē dōngxi。

Don't tell me you still believe in all that stuff?
3
这实质上是一种狭隘的、因循守旧的照顾孩子的方法。

zhè shízhì shàng shì yī zhǒng xiá’ài de、 yīn xún shǒu jiù de zhàogù háizi de fāngfǎ。

It is essentially a narrow and conservative approach to child care.
4
正如一位愤世嫉俗的旧主顾所说的那样，“他很可能把差额塞进了自己的腰包！”

zhèngrú yī wèi fèn shì jí sú de jiù zhǔ gù suǒ shuō de nàyàng，“ tā hěn kěnéng bǎ chā’é sāi jìn le zìjǐ de yāo bāo！”

As one former customer said cynically, "He's probably pocketed the difference!"
5
他为某些思想较守旧的官员所憎恶。

tā wèi mǒu xiē sīxiǎng jiào shǒu jiù de guānyuán suǒ zēng è。

He is loathed by some of the more traditionally minded officers.
6
他被指无趣乏味，古板守旧，心胸狭窄。

tā bèi zhǐ wú qù fá wèi， gǔ bǎn shǒu jiù， xīnxiōng xiázhǎi。

He was criticised for being boring, strait-laced and narrow-minded.
7
他总是穿着一件从来不洗的脏兮兮的旧夹克。

tā zǒngshì chuānzhuó yī jiàn cóngláibù xǐ de zāng xī xī de jiù jiā kè。

He never washed, and always wore a filthy old jacket.
8
他仍旧仰卧着，望着天上的云彩。

tā réngjiù yǎng wò zhe， wàng zhe tiānshàng de yún cǎi。

He continued to lie on his back and look at clouds.
9
我们在威斯敏斯特教堂看到的是一种经年不变的古旧仪式。

wǒmen zài wēi Sī mǐn Sī tè jiàotáng kàndào de shì yī zhǒng Jīng nián bù biàn de gǔ jiù yíshì。

What we see at Westminster is a tired old ritual.
10
但在其他商店纷纷关门倒闭之时，大型超市的强劲扩张势头却依旧不减。

dàn zài qítā shāngdiàn fēnfēn guān mén dǎobì zhī shí， dàxíng chāoshì de qiángjìng kuòzhāng shìtou què yījiù bù jiǎn。

But as other shops fold, the march of the superstores continues.
11
这是一辆旧汽车，但它还可以开。

Zhè shì yī liàng jiù qìchē, dàn tā hái kěyǐ kāi.

This is an old car, but it can still run.
12
我喜欢读旧书，因为它们有历史。

Wǒ xǐhuān dú jiù shū, yīnwèi tāmen yǒu lìshǐ.

I like to read old books because they have history.
13
他把旧手机卖掉了，买了一部新的。

Tā bǎ jiù shǒujī màidiào le, mǎi le yī bù xīn de.

He sold his old phone and bought a new one.
14
这座旧房子有很多故事。

Zhè zuò jiù fángzi yǒu hěn duō gùshì.

This old house has many stories.

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Cultural Notes for 旧

💡Did you know?

In Chinese culture, the concept of '旧' (old) is often associated with wisdom and experience. Older generations are respected for their knowledge and life lessons, which contrasts with the rush for modernization in many societies.

Word Family of 旧

Compounds4
稲dào
児ér
焔yàn
陥xiàn
Words containing this character20
旧jiùold舊
依旧yījiùas before依舊
旧金山jiùjīnshānSan Francisco, California舊金山
仍旧réngjiùyet仍舊
怀旧huáijiùnostalgia懷舊
陈旧chénjiùold-fashioned陳舊
破旧pòjiùshabby破舊
废旧fèijiùworn out廢舊
旧事jiùshìold affair舊事
叙旧xùjiùto reminisce敘舊
旧货jiùhuòsecond-hand goods舊貨
照旧zhàojiùas before照舊
旧情jiùqíngold affection舊情
旧时jiùshíin former times舊時
个旧gèjiùGejiu, county level city in Yunnan, capital of Honghe Hani and Yi autonomous county 紅河哈尼族彞族自治州|红河哈尼族彝族自治州[Hóng​hé​Hā​ní​zú​Yí​zú​Zì​zhì​zhōu]個舊
旧式jiùshìold style舊式
折旧zhéjiùdepreciation折舊
旧址jiùzhǐformer site舊址
重操旧业chóngcāojiùyèto resume one's old trade (idiom)重操舊業
守旧shǒujiùconservative守舊
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 旧

What does 依旧 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 旧

Yes, while both 旧 (jiù) and 老 (lǎo) can mean 'old', they are used in different contexts. 旧 typically refers to objects or things that are worn out or outdated, while 老 is often used to refer to people or living beings in terms of age. For example, you would say 老人 (lǎo rén) for 'old person' but 旧书 (jiù shū) for 'old book'.

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