<p>Two set phrases come up to my mind:</p>

<ul>
<li>炒冷饭 (heat leftover meal/rice)</li>
<li>新瓶装旧酒 (the same wine in a different bottle). 旧药换新瓶 is a less common variation.</li>
</ul>

<p>They're both applicable to your context. Their literal meaning is almost never used.</p>

<p>Example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>大多数电子游戏的续作都是新瓶装旧酒。A lot of video game sequels are just rehash of the previous installation.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-05T16:28:48.233Z
2012-11-05T16:34:35.120Z
2012-11-05T16:34:35.120Z
NS.X.
<p>旧药换新瓶 which directly means Old medicine in new bottles.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-05T16:12:08.590Z
And would the usage of this phrase be applicable to e.g. computer games or things which aren't related to the literal meaning of the characters?
Olle Linge
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-05T15:55:21.520Z
2012-11-05T15:55:21.520Z
picospuch
<p>I think a more general term would be 换汤不换药. From 汉典:</p>

<p><b>换汤不换药</b> [huàn tāng bù huàn yào]</p>

<ul>
<li>比喻只改变形式,而不改变实质内容<br>
(changed the soup, but not the medicine: a change in form but not in content)</li>
</ul>

<p>Whereas, </p>

<p><b>新瓶装旧酒</b> [xīn píng zhuāng jiù jiǔ]</p>

<ul>
<li>比喻用新的形式表现旧的内容。<br>
(old wine in new bottle: using a new form to present old content)</li>
</ul>

<p>There is a slight difference here in that the former can be applied to current content, not necessarily <em>old</em> content that runs out of favour. If DotA and the likes are still in favour, 换汤不换药 would be appropriate. However, if it is out of favour already, then 新瓶装旧酒 would be better.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-06T05:05:07.380Z
Actually, I wanted to express that I didn't like DotA either, so perhaps your suggestion is better. I didn't state that very clearly in my question, though.
Olle Linge
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-06T03:31:29.120Z
2012-11-06T03:31:29.120Z
杨以轩
<p>I was recently discussing computer games with a friend and realised that I don't know how to express "same shit, different names" in Chinese. We were talking about DotA, LoL and similar games. If I come across as dismissive, I'm sorry, I only mention this particular example to provide context, my question is purely linguistic! </p>

<p>I'm hoping to find a succinct way of expressing "same shit, different names", but if there isn't a fixed expression, perhaps someone could provide a decent way of expressing the same thing. It doesn't necessarily have to have the same tone, though, so expressions which are more sophisticated or less blunt would work just fine.</p>

<expressions>
How to express "same shit, different names" in Mandarin?
# How to express "same shit, different names" in Mandarin?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-11-05)

I was recently discussing computer games with a friend and realised that I don't know how to express "same shit, different names" in Chinese. We were talking about DotA, LoL and similar games. If I come across as dismissive, I'm sorry, I only mention this particular example to provide context, my question is purely linguistic!

I'm hoping to find a succinct way of expressing "same shit, different names", but if there isn't a fixed expression, perhaps someone could provide a decent way of expressing the same thing. It doesn't necessarily have to have the same tone, though, so expressions which are more sophisticated or less blunt would work just fine.

**Tags:** expressions


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-11-06. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

I think a more general term would be 换汤不换药. From 汉典:

**换汤不换药** [huàn tāng bù huàn yào]

* 比喻只改变形式,而不改变实质内容  
  (changed the soup, but not the medicine: a change in form but not in content)

Whereas,

**新瓶装旧酒** [xīn píng zhuāng jiù jiǔ]

* 比喻用新的形式表现旧的内容。  
  (old wine in new bottle: using a new form to present old content)

There is a slight difference here in that the former can be applied to current content, not necessarily *old* content that runs out of favour. If DotA and the likes are still in favour, 换汤不换药 would be appropriate. However, if it is out of favour already, then 新瓶装旧酒 would be better.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Actually, I wanted to express that I didn't like DotA either, so perhaps your suggestion is better. I didn't state that very clearly in my question, though.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-11-05. Score: 6

Two set phrases come up to my mind:

* 炒冷饭 (heat leftover meal/rice)
* 新瓶装旧酒 (the same wine in a different bottle). 旧药换新瓶 is a less common variation.

They're both applicable to your context. Their literal meaning is almost never used.

Example:

> 大多数电子游戏的续作都是新瓶装旧酒。A lot of video game sequels are just rehash of the previous installation.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-11-05. Score: 2

旧药换新瓶 which directly means Old medicine in new bottles.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: And would the usage of this phrase be applicable to e.g. computer games or things which aren't related to the literal meaning of the characters?  

---

