Chinese characters and pinyin
Simplified: 温故而知新
Traditional: 溫故而知新
Pinyin: wēn gù ér zhī xīn
Literal translation
Review the old and thereby understand the new.
Natural English meaning
Revisiting prior knowledge can produce fresh understanding.
Closest English equivalent
The old is the key to the new.
There is no single common English proverb with the same educational precision.
When to use it
Use it for revision, historical study, or learning that connects old and new ideas.
When not to use it
Review should lead to insight, not merely memorization.
Example sentence
考试前复习不是简单重复，而是温故而知新。
Review before the exam should reveal new connections, not merely repeat old notes.
Origin and cultural context
A teaching from the Analects about the qualities of a teacher and learner.
Classification: classical quotation. This label distinguishes a complete proverb or popular saying from a compact idiom or a quotation preserved from a classical text.
