敝帚自珍
bì zhǒu zì zhēn
to treasure something of little worth because it is one’s own
Character by character
敝bì
worn
worn
帚zhǒu
broom
broom
自zì
oneself
oneself
珍zhēn
treasure
treasure
Example
这台老收音机早就不响了，爷爷却敝帚自珍，谁也不许扔。
The old radio stopped working long ago, but Grandpa treasures it anyway and will not let anyone throw it out.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
From the proverb 家有敝帚，享之千金 (a worn broom at home is worth a thousand in gold), quoted by 曹丕 in his 《典论·论文》. Often modest, of one’s own writing or belongings: 这些旧作，不过是敝帚自珍罢了.
Learn this in Lesson 130 · HSK 7–9: 修还是换 (Repair or replace?)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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