陈旧
chén jiù · HSK 7
old-fashioned
📻 陈 stale + 旧 old = doubly dated, thoroughly old-fashioned
Both halves mean old: 陈 is staleness, 旧 is former or worn. Together they reinforce each other like saying something is ancient AND outdated.
旧 — 丨 vertical stroke + 日 sun/day
旧 is the simplified form of 舊, which originally depicted an owl (萑) perched on a nest (臼) and was borrowed phonetically to mean 'old' or 'former.' The modern simplified shape combines 丨 with 日 (sun/day), suggesting days gone by. Today it means 'old,' 'former,' or 'used.'