邯鄲學步

From Zhuangzi:

子往矣！且子獨不聞夫壽陵餘子之學行於邯鄲與？未得國能，又失其故行矣，直匍匐而歸耳。今子不去，將忘子之故，失子之業。 [MSC, trad.][▼ expand/hide]

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子往矣！且子独不闻夫寿陵余子之学行于邯郸与？未得国能，又失其故行矣，直匍匐而归耳。今子不去，将忘子之故，失子之业。 [MSC, simp.]

Zǐ wǎng yǐ! Qiě zǐ dú bù wén fú shòulíng yúzǐ zhī xué xíng yú hándān yú? Wèi dé guó néng, yòu shī qí gù xíng yǐ, zhí púfú ér guī ěr. Jīn zǐ bù qù, jiāng wàng zǐ zhī gù, shī zǐ zhī yè. [Pinyin]

Go your ways, Sir. And have you not heard of the young learners of Shou-ling, and how they did in Han-dan? Before they had acquired what they might have done in that capital, they had forgotten what they had learned to do in their old city, and were marched back to it on their hands and knees. If now you do not go away, you will forget your old acquirements, and fail in your profession.

邯鄲學步

1. to badly imitate others, and lose one's individuality in the process