怀才不遇

huái cái bù yù

to have talent but no chance to use it

Character by character

怀huái
harbour

才cái
talent

不bù
not

遇yù
meet (a patron)

他总觉得自己怀才不遇，其实是太挑剔了。

He always feels his talents go unrecognised, but really he is too fussy.

Tone: neutral.

The age-old complaint of scholars who never found a ruler to serve. Said with sympathy, or with irony about someone who blames others.

Learn this in Lesson 63 · HSK 6: 考公热 (The rush for government jobs)

A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.