换汤不换药 huàn tāng bù huàn yào

DEFINITIONS

  1. different broth but the same old medicine (idiom); a change in name only
  2. a change in form but not in substance

CHARACTERS

换 huàn
HSK 3
change
汤 tāng
HSK 4
hot water; soup, gravy, broth
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
换 huàn
HSK 3
change
药 yào
HSK 2
leaf of Dahurian angelica plant; medicine