旧
jiù
Worn down, handed down, left behind — all 旧
The picture A surface so long handled that the printing has worn off and the shine is gone. 旧 is worn by long handling; 新 has not been handled at all.
Where the picture shows up in 旧
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object worn out
这台机器太旧了。
zhè tái jīqì tài jiù le
This machine is far too old.
The labels on the buttons are rubbed away by fingers, so you have to feel for them
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used, handed on
我的旧手机给你用。
wǒ de jiù shǒujī gěi nǐ yòng
Take my old phone and use it.
A phone with rounded, scuffed corners being laid on someone else's palm
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the previous one
请用旧的地址寄。
qǐng yòng jiù de dìzhǐ jì
Please send it to the old address.
The new address is crossed out and a finger goes back to the older line above it
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long-standing
他是旧同事，不是新来的。
tā shì jiù tóngshì, bú shì xīn lái de
He's a former colleague, not a new hire.
Two people who no longer have to ask where the other one sits
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stale, to discard
这些旧文件可以扔了吗？
zhèxiē jiù wénjiàn kěyǐ rēng le ma
Can we throw out these old files?
A stack of yellowed paper packed into a box and set by the door
All of it in one picture
旧 is the mark time leaves by rubbing a surface. When the letters on a button wear away it is an old machine; when you pass on what you used it is a hand-me-down; when an address sits behind the current one it is the previous address; when two people have sat together for years it is a former colleague; when paper turns yellow it is something to throw out.