====== gǔbǎn: 古板 - Old-Fashioned, Conservative, Inflexible ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** gǔbǎn, 古板, guban meaning, what does guban mean, Chinese for old-fashioned, conservative in Chinese, inflexible meaning, hidebound, stuffy, set in one's ways, Chinese adjectives
  * **Summary:** Learn the meaning of **古板 (gǔbǎn)**, a common Chinese adjective used to describe someone or something as old-fashioned, inflexible, and resistant to new ideas. This guide breaks down the characters 古 (old) and 板 (board) to reveal its literal meaning of an "old plank," painting a vivid picture of stiffness and rigidity. Discover how to use **gǔbǎn** to talk about people, rules, or ideas that are stuck in the past, and understand its cultural nuances compared to the English word "conservative."
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** gǔ bǎn
  * **Part of Speech:** Adjective
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  * **Concise Definition:** Describing someone or something as old-fashioned, rigidly conventional, and mentally inflexible.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine an old, unbending wooden plank. That's the feeling of **古板 (gǔbǎn)**. It's not just about liking old things; it's a negative term for a mindset that is "set in its ways." A **古板** person strictly follows outdated rules and is often unwilling to accept new perspectives, making them seem stuffy, stubborn, or out of touch with modern times.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **古 (gǔ):** Ancient, old. This character originally depicted a shield, an object meant to last. Its core meaning is simply "old" or "ancient."
  * **板 (bǎn):** Board, plank, slab. This character is composed of the radical for wood (木) and a phonetic component. It refers to a flat, hard piece of wood.
  * Together, **古板 (gǔbǎn)** literally translates to "ancient board." This creates a powerful and intuitive image: something as stiff, unyielding, and unchanging as an old piece of wood. It perfectly captures the essence of being mentally rigid and stuck in the past.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
  * **古板 (gǔbǎn)** sits at the intersection of China's deep respect for tradition and its incredibly rapid modernization. While respecting elders and tradition (`传统 chuántǒng`) is a core value, being **古板** is a criticism. It implies that someone has taken this respect too far, becoming dogmatic and unable to adapt to a changing world. It suggests a failure to distinguish between valuable heritage and outdated, impractical norms.
  * **Comparison to Western "Conservative":** This is a critical distinction. In Western cultures, "conservative" can be a neutral political or social identity (e.g., "fiscally conservative"). **古板 (gǔbǎn)**, however, is almost exclusively a negative personal descriptor. It's less about a structured political ideology and more about a personality trait of being stuffy, unimaginative, and stubbornly resistant to change in everyday life. The closest English equivalents are "hidebound," "stuffy," or "strait-laced."
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
  * **古板** is a common adjective used to critique people, systems, or ideas. Its connotation is consistently negative.
  * **Describing People:** This is the most common usage. It can be used to describe parents, grandparents, teachers, or bosses who are overly strict or have an outdated worldview.
    * //"My dad is a bit old-fashioned; he doesn't like me dyeing my hair."//
  * **Describing Rules and Systems:** It's often used to complain about bureaucratic or corporate rules that are inefficient and illogical.
    * //"The company's dress code is so stuffy and inflexible."//
  * **Describing Styles and Ideas:** It can refer to anything that seems dated, such as fashion, decoration, or ways of thinking.
    * //"This design looks too old-fashioned."//
  * **Formality:** It can be used in both casual conversation and more formal critiques, but it always carries a tone of disapproval.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 他的思想太**古板**了，完全接受不了新事物。
    * Pinyin: Tā de sīxiǎng tài **gǔbǎn** le, wánquán jiēshòu bùliǎo xīn shìwù.
    * English: His way of thinking is too old-fashioned; he can't accept new things at all.
    * Analysis: A classic example of criticizing someone's mindset. The phrase `接受不了 (jiēshòu bùliǎo)` (can't accept) is often paired with `古板`.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 我爸爸有点儿**古板**，他认为女孩子就应该早点结婚。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ bàba yǒudiǎnr **gǔbǎn**, tā rènwéi nǚháizi jiù yīnggāi zǎodiǎn jiéhūn.
    * English: My dad is a bit stuffy; he thinks girls should get married early.
    * Analysis: Here, `有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr)` (a little bit) softens the criticism slightly, which is common when talking about one's own family members.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 我们公司的着装规定非常**古板**，夏天也必须穿长裤。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī de zhuózhuāng guīdìng fēicháng **gǔbǎn**, xiàtiān yě bìxū chuān chángkù.
    * English: Our company's dress code is very inflexible; we have to wear long pants even in the summer.
    * Analysis: This shows how `古板` can be used to describe rules or regulations that are seen as unnecessarily rigid.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 你不能再那么**古板**了，要学会灵活变通。
    * Pinyin: Nǐ bùnéng zài nàme **gǔbǎn** le, yào xuéhuì línghuó biàntōng.
    * English: You can't be so hidebound anymore; you need to learn to be flexible.
    * Analysis: This sentence directly contrasts `古板` with its opposite concept, `灵活变通 (línghuó biàntōng)` (to be flexible and adaptable).
  * **Example 5:**
    * 他不是坏人，就是性格有点**古板**，不太会跟年轻人交流。
    * Pinyin: Tā bùshì huàirén, jiùshì xìnggé yǒudiǎn **gǔbǎn**, bù tài huì gēn niánqīngrén jiāoliú.
    * English: He's not a bad person, his personality is just a bit stuffy, so he's not great at communicating with young people.
    * Analysis: This clarifies that being `古板` is a personality trait, not necessarily a sign of bad character. It describes a social barrier.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 这栋建筑的设计风格太**古板**了，看起来像上个世纪的产物。
    * Pinyin: Zhè dòng jiànzhù de shèjì fēnggé tài **gǔbǎn** le, kànqǐlái xiàng shàng gè shìjì de chǎnwù.
    * English: The design style of this building is too dated; it looks like something from the last century.
    * Analysis: An example of using `古板` to criticize aesthetics, such as design or fashion.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 有些老师的教学方法很**古板**，只会让学生死记硬背。
    * Pinyin: Yǒuxiē lǎoshī de jiàoxué fāngfǎ hěn **gǔbǎn**, zhǐ huì ràng xuéshēng sǐjìyìngbèi.
    * English: Some teachers' teaching methods are very old-fashioned; they only make students memorize things by rote.
    * Analysis: Here, `古板` is used to critique an outdated methodology. `死记硬背 (sǐjìyìngbèi)` means "to learn by rote" or "to cram."
  * **Example 8:**
    * 别笑我**古板**，我就是用不惯智能手机。
    * Pinyin: Bié xiào wǒ **gǔbǎn**, wǒ jiùshì yòng bù guàn zhìnéng shǒujī.
    * English: Don't laugh at me for being old-fashioned, I'm just not used to using a smartphone.
    * Analysis: A self-deprecating use of the term. The speaker acknowledges their own resistance to new technology.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 在一个**古板**的家庭里长大，他一直不敢追求自己的梦想。
    * Pinyin: Zài yīgè **gǔbǎn** de jiātíng lǐ zhǎng dà, tā yīzhí bù gǎn zhuīqiú zìjǐ de mèngxiǎng.
    * English: Growing up in a very conventional family, he never dared to pursue his own dreams.
    * Analysis: This shows the powerful, constraining effect that a `古板` environment can have on a person's life choices.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 他们的管理理念太**古板**，是公司发展不起来的主要原因。
    * Pinyin: Tāmen de guǎnlǐ lǐniàn tài **gǔbǎn**, shì gōngsī fāzhǎn bù qǐlái de zhǔyào yuányīn.
    * English: Their management philosophy is too rigid, which is the main reason the company can't develop.
    * Analysis: A formal, business-context criticism, linking a `古板` mindset directly to negative outcomes like poor performance.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **`古板` vs. `传统` (chuántǒng) - Old-fashioned vs. Traditional:** This is the most important distinction for learners.
    * `传统 (chuántǒng)` means "traditional" and is often neutral or positive. It refers to customs, heritage, and culture. E.g., `传统节日` (traditional festivals).
    * `古板 (gǔbǎn)` is negative. It describes a rigid mindset that clings to outdated norms.
    * **Example:** Appreciating traditional Chinese medicine is `传统`, but refusing to see a modern doctor for a serious illness because of it could be seen as `古板`.
  * **`古板` vs. `保守` (bǎoshǒu) - Stuffy vs. Conservative:**
    * `保守 (bǎoshǒu)` is the correct term for "conservative" in a political or social sense. It can be a neutral descriptor.
    * `古板` is a more personal, and always negative, criticism of someone's inflexible personality. A person might be politically `保守` but not personally `古板`.
  * **Common Mistake: Describing Objects:** Do not use `古板` to say an object is old or an antique. Use `古老 (gǔlǎo)` for "ancient" or `旧 (jiù)` for "old/used." You can, however, say an object's //style// is `古板`.
    * **Incorrect:** 这个花瓶很**古板**。 (This vase is very old-fashioned.)
    * **Correct:** 这个花瓶的**样式**很**古板**。 (The style of this vase is very old-fashioned.)
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[保守]] (bǎoshǒu) - Conservative. The more neutral term for describing a cautious or traditional mindset or political view. `古板` is a more extreme, negative form of being `保守`.
  * [[死板]] (sǐbǎn) - Rigid, inflexible. Literally "dead board." Very similar to `古板`, but focuses more on the lack of flexibility and creativity rather than the "old-fashioned" aspect.
  * [[固执]] (gùzhí) - Stubborn, obstinate. Describes someone who refuses to change their mind, even when wrong. A `古板` person is almost always `固执`.
  * [[守旧]] (shǒujiù) - To stick to old ways, old-fashioned. A very close synonym for `古板`, literally meaning "to guard the old."
  * [[落伍]] (luòwǔ) - To be outdated, to lag behind the times. This is the //result// of being `古板`. A `古板` mindset will cause a person or company to `落伍`.
  * [[开放]] (kāifàng) - Open-minded, liberal. A direct antonym of `古板`.
  * [[灵活]] (línghuó) - Flexible, agile. The opposite of the stiffness implied by `古板`.
  * [[传统]] (chuántǒng) - Tradition, traditional. A key concept to contrast with `古板`. One describes cultural heritage, the other describes a rigid mentality.