cương quế chi tánh, dủ lão dủ tân
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Ginger and cinnamon sharpen with age — the old grow only more pungent in wit and savor.
Literally: ginger-cinnamon nature: older, spicier
Examples
Bà cụ đối đáp sắc lắm, cương quế chi tánh dủ lão dủ tân.The old lady's repartee bites — ginger and cinnamon sharpen with age.
Editorial example (VI sweep batch 040, illustrative)
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “cương quế chi tánh, dủ lão dủ tân” mean?
Ginger and cinnamon sharpen with age — the old grow only more pungent in wit and savor. Literally: ginger-cinnamon nature: older, spicier
Is “cương quế chi tánh, dủ lão dủ tân” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.