一文不名 Penniless
Explanation
形容非常贫困，一无所有。
Describes extreme poverty, without possessions.
Origin Story
在唐朝末年，有个名叫李白的书生，从小就喜欢读书，但他家境贫寒，连一日三餐都难以维持，更别说买纸笔了。他经常去书店蹭书，也经常向别人借书。有一天，李白去一家书店借书，但书店老板看他衣衫褴褛，就拒绝借书给他。李白无奈地说：“我虽然一文不名，但求知若渴，只要能借阅书籍，我愿意用任何东西来交换。”书店老板还是不同意。李白没办法，只能无奈地离开了。后来，李白凭借自己的努力，最终成为了一代诗仙，名扬天下。
During the late Tang Dynasty, there was a scholar named Li Bai, who loved to read from a young age. However, his family was poor and could not even afford daily meals, let alone buy paper and pens. He often went to bookstores to borrow books, and also borrowed from others. One day, Li Bai went to a bookstore to borrow a book, but the owner refused to lend him a book when he saw his tattered clothes. Li Bai said helplessly, “I may be penniless, but I'm eager to learn. If only I could borrow books, I would exchange them for anything.” The bookstore owner still refused. Li Bai had no choice but to leave dejectedly. Later, through his own efforts, Li Bai eventually became a great poet, famous throughout the world.
Usage
形容一个人非常贫穷，没有钱财。
Describes a person who is very poor and has no money.
Examples
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他虽然出身贫寒，但勤奋好学，最终考上了大学。
tā suīrán chūshēn pín hán, dàn qín fèn hào xué, zuì zhōng kǎo shàng le dà xué.
Although he was born poor, he studied hard and eventually went to college.
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这个年轻人一文不名，却胸怀大志，渴望改变命运。
zhège nián qīng rén yī wén bù míng, què xiōng huái dà zhì, kě wàng gǎi biàn mìng yùn。
This young man was penniless, but he had great ambitions and hoped to change his destiny.