‘除旧布新’ is a classical four-character idiom meaning ‘to discard the old and promote the new.’ Literally, 除 (chú) means ‘to remove’ or ‘to eliminate,’ 旧 (jiù) means ‘old’ or ‘outdated,’ 布 (bù) means ‘to spread,’ ‘to promote,’ or ‘to introduce,’ and 新 (xīn) means ‘new’ or ‘fresh.’ Together, the phrase expresses a deliberate, often ceremonial or institutional, effort to replace outdated practices, ideas, systems, or appearances with modern, improved, or more appropriate ones.

This idiom is commonly used in contexts of renewal—especially around Chinese New Year, when families clean homes, replace worn items, and adopt new resolutions. It also appears in political, educational, and corporate discourse to describe reform initiatives, curriculum updates, or organizational restructuring. Though it sounds formal, it’s widely understood and frequently appears in newspapers, speeches, and policy documents as a concise way to convey progressive change grounded in tradition.