you can 't teach an old dog new tricks
Rotten wood is hard to carve, Chinese idiom, Pinyin is Xi ǔ m ù n á NDI ā o, refers to rotten wood is difficult to carve, people can not make or things can not be saved. From the Analects of Confucius, GongChangZhi.
The origin of Idioms
"The Analects of Confucius · GongChangZhi" says: "rotten wood cannot be carved, and the wall of dung cannot be built."
Analysis of Idioms
Synonyms: rotten, incurable, rotten, incurable
Antonyms: a child can be taught, a jade and a gold, a pillar
Idiom usage
Used as a predicate or object; used to teach.
Examples
With the education and help of the head teacher, the students, who are generally regarded as rotten, have become excellent students who can't be changed.
Idiom story
During the spring and Autumn period, Zai Yu, a disciple of Confucius, was very good at speaking beautiful words. At first, Confucius liked him very much and thought that he would be promising. But soon Confucius found that he often didn't come to class. He sent people to look for him and found that he was sleeping in his room. After knowing this, Confucius said sadly, "rotten wood can't be carved, and walls like dirt can't be painted."
Chinese PinYin : xiǔ mù nán diāo
you can 't teach an old dog new tricks
have an affectionate concern for each other. sòng nuǎn wēi hán
Friendship between Phoenix and Luan. fèng yǒu luán jiāo
strike at the root of the trouble. chōu xīn zhǐ fèi
a man should get married on coming of age. nán dà dāng qǔ