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半路出家

bàn lù chū jiā

to come to a field late

Character by character

半bàn
half
路lù
way
出chū
leave
家jiā
home

Example

我是半路出家学设计的,原来学的是会计。
I came to design late — I originally studied accounting.

Tone: neutral.

Usage and origin

Originally of becoming a monk or nun as an adult, now of switching careers.

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