安土重迁
ān tǔ zhòng qiān
attached to one’s native place and unwilling to move
Character by character
安ān
content
content
土tǔ
land
land
重zhòng
weighty
weighty
迁qiān
move
move
Example
老一辈人安土重迁，宁可守着老房子，也不愿搬到城里跟儿女住。
The older generation are rooted to their land; they would rather stay in the old house than move to town to live with their children.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
From 《汉书》: 安土重迁，黎民之性, “to cling to the land and dread moving is the nature of the common people”. 重 is zhòng, “to treat as a serious matter”. A staple of writing about migration, rural life and resettlement.
Learn this in Lesson 172 · HSK 7–9: 南水北调 (Sending southern water north)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
Open the lesson →