# 老马识途

lǎo mǎ shí tú

Experience helps someone find the way

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** An old horse knows the road

**Traditional Chinese:** 老馬識途

**Register:** Appreciative · conversational

[Perspective](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/perspective)

## When to use it

Praise practical knowledge gained through experience.

Age alone does not guarantee expertise.

## Understanding the expression

A horse that has traveled a route before can recognize the way when a newcomer is lost. The image makes experience a source of practical guidance. In modern use, someone familiar with a task or situation knows where difficulties lie and what usually works. The phrase can praise a veteran or humorously describe your own familiarity, but relevant experience matters more than simply being older.

## Examples

找老陈带路吧，他老马识途。

### Traditional Chinese

找老陳帶路吧，他老馬識途。

zhǎo lǎo chén dài lù ba ， tā lǎo mǎ shí tú 。

Ask Old Chen to guide us; he knows the route.

修这种机器，他老马识途，很快找到了问题。

### Traditional Chinese

修這種機器，他老馬識途，很快找到了問題。

xiū zhè zhǒng jī qì ， tā lǎo mǎ shí tú ， hěn kuài zhǎo dào le wèn tí 。

His experience repairing this kind of machine helped him quickly locate the problem.

她老马识途，知道该找哪个窗口。

### Traditional Chinese

她老馬識途，知道該找哪個窗口。

tā lǎo mǎ shí tú ， zhī dào gāi zhǎo nǎ gè chuāng kǒu 。

She knows the process and which service counter to visit.

他办过许多展览，老马识途，正好给我们指点。

### Traditional Chinese

他辦過許多展覽，老馬識途，正好給我們指點。

tā bàn guò xǔ duō zhǎn lǎn ， lǎo mǎ shí tú ， zhèng hǎo gěi wǒ men zhǐ diǎn 。

He knows exhibitions well from experience and can give us guidance.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E8%80%81%E9%A6%AC%E8%AD%98%E9%80%94)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=36&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [老生常谈 lǎo shēng cháng tán A familiar point repeated too often ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/lao-sheng-chang-tan)

- [连篇累牍 lián piān lěi dú Write or speak at tedious length ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/lian-pian-lei-du)

- [良莠不齐 liáng yǒu bù qí Good and bad are mixed together ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/liang-you-bu-qi)

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