Chinese idiom · 成语
老马识途
Meaning
Experience brings reliable guidance; wisdom from age.
Character by character
Origin and story
Traditional anecdoteHan Feizi (韓非子), in Shuo Lin Shang (說林上), tells how Guan Zhong and Xi Peng accompanied Duke Huan of Qi on a campaign against Guzhu. They left in spring and returned in winter, but lost the route. Guan Zhong proposed using the knowledge of old horses. They let the horses go ahead, followed them, and recovered the way.
The passage then describes finding water by observing ants. Its conclusion stresses that even intelligent people should learn from other creatures when they lack knowledge. The idiom applies the old-horse image to people whose experience makes them reliable guides; there is no maze in the original account.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
这套系统出了问题，还是请老马识途的陈师傅来看看吧。
This system has developed a problem; let’s ask experienced Mr. Chen to take a look.
Praises relevant experience, not simply someone’s age.