不学无术
- Literal
- not studying, having no skill
- Figurative
- To have neither learning nor any real ability; to be uneducated and good for nothing. It is a harsh criticism, often said with contempt.
Where does 不学无术 come from?
It comes from the 《汉书》, the history of the Former Han dynasty compiled by Ban Gu. At the end of his biography of Huo Guang, the regent who held real power for some twenty years after the death of Emperor Wu, Ban Gu acknowledges his loyalty but faults him because he "did not study and had no learning" and failed to grasp the great principles, and he links that failing to the fall of Huo's clan shortly after his death. The text writes it 不学亡术, with 亡 in the sense of 无. Today it is a blunt criticism of someone with neither education nor ability.
Source (出处): 《汉书·霍光传》
How is 不学无术 used? Two examples
- 他整天打游戏，不学无术，还总觉得自己什么都懂。
He spends all day gaming, has learned nothing and can do nothing, and still thinks he knows it all.
- 这家公司的老板不学无术，全靠关系拿项目。
The boss of this company has neither education nor ability; he lands projects purely through connections.
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