<p>I think, if you translated, "Once a loser, always a loser" you would have Chinese words, but not Chinese. You need the sense, not the words.</p>

<p>狗改不了吃屎。</p>

<p>comes close. </p>

<p>"这应该是个贬义的比喻吧：说一个人总是改不了固有的做派。"</p>

<p>You could look <a href="https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/8997214.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a> for similar phrases. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T14:20:06.060Z
Thank you so much!!! I’m still getting used to how Chinese people usually express things  it’s hard to get the sense sometimes, considering I’m still a beginner.
Agnes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T22:12:42.577Z
Tell me about it! I am always coming across sentences I just can't understand. Luckily, I have some erudite Chinese friends who take the time to explain things to me.
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T09:14:30.533Z
2019-09-16T09:14:30.533Z
Pedroski
<p>最开始的翻译比较恰当。比较像中国的slang.
作为中国人很高兴看到有人在学汉语，加油！</p>

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2019-09-16T14:21:54.907Z
我也很高兴能学汉语 
Agnes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T01:24:48.523Z
2019-09-16T01:24:48.523Z
user22755
<p>what i can think of are: </p>

<p><code>烂泥扶不上墙 (Sludge can't help the wall)</code></p>

<p><code>一日为师，终生为父 (One day is the teacher, the life is the father.)</code></p>

<p><code>一日为贼，终生为贼（One day is a thief, and life is a thief.）</code></p>

<p>Translation is by google translate.:) </p>

<p>I can add more when I can think of anything else. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T14:22:23.983Z
Thank you so muchhhh ☺️
Agnes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-15T22:04:47.767Z
2019-09-15T22:13:49.747Z
2019-09-15T22:13:49.747Z
sylvia
<blockquote>
  <ol>
  <li>[Once an X, always an X] is the short form of [once (become) an X, (will) always (be) an X]</li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>"X" in this structure is a stigma or branding that <strong>cannot be removed from you</strong>. For example: "once a murderer, always a murderer" </p>

<p>The label "murderer" cannot be removed from someone who committed murder. This label will be attached to him forever, because "murderer" is permanent label, you can never un-murder someone. The same goes to the label "liar". Once you are caught lying, the fact that you lied cannot be erased. </p>

<p>In Chinese, it is translated as "一旦成為殺人犯，一生也是殺人犯" (once someone became a murderer, the status of murderer can never be removed from him)</p>

<p><em>you can replace "一生" with "終生" or "永遠"</em></p>

<blockquote>
  <ol start="2">
  <li>[Once a Y, always a Y] is the short form of [once (become) a Y, (will) always (be) a Y]</li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>"Y" in this structure is a nature or attributes that <strong>cannot be taken away from you</strong>. For example: "once a soldier, always a soldier" </p>

<p>Technically, when someone retired from the armed forces, he would no longed be considered a soldier, however, the attributes of a soldier will always be in him.  "Once a soldier, always a soldier" is not a literal but a figurative phrase (I am no longer a soldier, but the heart of a soldier is still in me). </p>

<p>In Chinese, it is translated as "一日身為士兵，一生也是士兵" (Even being a soldier for one day, the attributes of a soldier will never be taken away from me)</p>

<p><em>you can replace "一生" with "終生" or "永遠"</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T14:20:30.520Z
Thank you so much!!! ☺️
Agnes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T05:29:22.157Z
2019-09-17T06:08:50.087Z
2019-09-17T06:08:50.087Z
Tang Ho
<p>How do you say “Once a [noun], always a [noun]” in Chinese?</p>

<p>For example : “Once a loser, always a loser” or “Once a flirt, always a flirt”</p>

<p>I have tried to look for it online and found some patterns but I’m not sure if they are correct.</p>

<p>Here they are :</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>…一次，…一世。</p>
  
  <p>一日…，终身…。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Update :
I found other patterns, but again, not sure whether they are correct :</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>做一次...，一生都是...。</p>
  
  <p>一旦...， 就永无止境。</p>
  
  <p>做一次…，就永远是…。</p>
  
  <p>…始终是…。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Are these patterns correct? If not, how do Chinese people usually say it?</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-15T19:07:04.537Z
I am not quite sure about the meanings of that quote. Most importantly, what is the logic behind once and always?
Toosky Hierot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T05:38:51.013Z
Hmm, I don’t know how to explain it. Maybe it has something to do with “labelling”. For example your girlfriend/boyfriend caught you cheating on them, she/he forgives you but then caught you cheating on them again for the second time, thus saying (labelling you) : “Once a cheater, always a cheater” even though you probably won’t do it thrice.
Agnes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T05:44:24.447Z
There is a well known saying in Chinese: 一日为师, 终生为父. There is a line in the movie **Kung-fu Hustle** by Stephen Chow similar to the sentence pattern: 你一天是兔子, 就一辈子是兔子.
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T05:51:02.473Z
Other example in modern Chinese, like 一次付费, 终身使用 or 一次付费, 终身享受, etc.
xenophōn
<translation>
Once a [noun], always a [noun]
# Once a [noun], always a [noun]

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-09-15)

How do you say “Once a [noun], always a [noun]” in Chinese?

For example : “Once a loser, always a loser” or “Once a flirt, always a flirt”

I have tried to look for it online and found some patterns but I’m not sure if they are correct.

Here they are :

> …一次，…一世。
>
> 一日…，终身…。

Update :
I found other patterns, but again, not sure whether they are correct :

> 做一次...，一生都是...。
>
> 一旦...， 就永无止境。
>
> 做一次…，就永远是…。
>
> …始终是…。

Are these patterns correct? If not, how do Chinese people usually say it?

Thank you!

**Tags:** translation
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I am not quite sure about the meanings of that quote. Most importantly, what is the logic behind once and always?  
> **username_0**: Hmm, I don’t know how to explain it. Maybe it has something to do with “labelling”. For example your girlfriend/boyfriend caught you cheating on them, she/he forgives you but then caught you cheating on them again for the second time, thus saying (labelling you) : “Once a cheater, always a cheater” even though you probably won’t do it thrice.  
> **username_2**: There is a well known saying in Chinese: 一日为师, 终生为父. There is a line in the movie **Kung-fu Hustle** by Stephen Chow similar to the sentence pattern: 你一天是兔子, 就一辈子是兔子.  
> **username_2**: Other example in modern Chinese, like 一次付费, 终身使用 or 一次付费, 终身享受, etc.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2019-09-16. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

> 1. [Once an X, always an X] is the short form of [once (become) an X, (will) always (be) an X]

"X" in this structure is a stigma or branding that **cannot be removed from you**. For example: "once a murderer, always a murderer"

The label "murderer" cannot be removed from someone who committed murder. This label will be attached to him forever, because "murderer" is permanent label, you can never un-murder someone. The same goes to the label "liar". Once you are caught lying, the fact that you lied cannot be erased.

In Chinese, it is translated as "一旦成為殺人犯，一生也是殺人犯" (once someone became a murderer, the status of murderer can never be removed from him)

*you can replace "一生" with "終生" or "永遠"*

> 2. [Once a Y, always a Y] is the short form of [once (become) a Y, (will) always (be) a Y]

"Y" in this structure is a nature or attributes that **cannot be taken away from you**. For example: "once a soldier, always a soldier"

Technically, when someone retired from the armed forces, he would no longed be considered a soldier, however, the attributes of a soldier will always be in him. "Once a soldier, always a soldier" is not a literal but a figurative phrase (I am no longer a soldier, but the heart of a soldier is still in me).

In Chinese, it is translated as "一日身為士兵，一生也是士兵" (Even being a soldier for one day, the attributes of a soldier will never be taken away from me)

*you can replace "一生" with "終生" or "永遠"*

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you so much!!! ☺️  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-09-16. Score: 2

I think, if you translated, "Once a loser, always a loser" you would have Chinese words, but not Chinese. You need the sense, not the words.

狗改不了吃屎。

comes close.

"这应该是个贬义的比喻吧：说一个人总是改不了固有的做派。"

You could look [here](https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/8997214.html) for similar phrases.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you so much!!! I’m still getting used to how Chinese people usually express things  it’s hard to get the sense sometimes, considering I’m still a beginner.  
> **username_3**: Tell me about it! I am always coming across sentences I just can't understand. Luckily, I have some erudite Chinese friends who take the time to explain things to me.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-09-16. Score: 2

最开始的翻译比较恰当。比较像中国的slang.
作为中国人很高兴看到有人在学汉语，加油！

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: 我也很高兴能学汉语   

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2019-09-15. Score: 2

what i can think of are:

`烂泥扶不上墙 (Sludge can't help the wall)`

`一日为师，终生为父 (One day is the teacher, the life is the father.)`

`一日为贼，终生为贼（One day is a thief, and life is a thief.）`

Translation is by google translate.:)

I can add more when I can think of anything else.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you so muchhhh ☺️  

---

