不务正业 bù wù zhèng yè Not doing one's proper work

Explanation

不务正业，是指丢下本职工作不做，去搞其他的事情。一般指的是不努力学习或工作，贪图享乐，或者从事一些无益的事情。这个成语通常用来批评那些不认真做事、不负责任的人。

Not doing one's proper work means abandoning one's main job and engaging in other things. It usually refers to people who don't work hard at learning or work and indulge in pleasure or engage in useless things. This idiom is often used to criticize those who don't take their work seriously and are irresponsible.

Origin Story

话说，在古代有一个叫王二的小伙子，他天生聪明伶俐，但从小就懒惰成性，不喜欢读书，也不愿意干活。他整天游手好闲，不是去街上闲逛，就是去酒馆喝酒，把自己的日子过得逍遥自在。他父母见他这样，经常劝他：“孩子，你不能总这样下去，你要努力学习，将来才能有出息。”可王二总是左耳朵进右耳朵出，根本听不进去。他父亲病重时，还特意叮嘱他说：“你要努力学习，将来好光耀门楣！”可王二却说：“父亲您放心吧，我一定努力学习！“可是，父亲去世后，王二就更加肆无忌惮，整天无所事事，不务正业。他父母去世后，王二更是变本加厉，不思进取，整天游手好闲，浪费光阴，把家里的钱财也挥霍殆尽。最后，王二一事无成，沦落为一个无名小卒。

huì shuō, zài gǔ dài yǒu yī gè jiào wáng èr de xiǎo huǒ zi, tā tiān shēng cōng míng líng lì, dàn cóng xiǎo jiù lǎn duò chéng xìng, bù xǐ huan dú shū, yě bù yuàn yì gàn huó. tā zhěng tiān yóu shǒu hǎo xián, bù shì qù jiē shàng xián guàng, jiù shì qù jiǔ guǎn hē jiǔ, bǎ zì jǐ de rì zi guò de xiāo yáo zì zài. tā fù mǔ jiàn tā zhè yàng, jīng cháng quàn tā:“hái zi, nǐ bù néng zǒng zhè yàng xià qù, nǐ yào nǔ lì xué xí, jiāng lái cái néng yǒu chū xī.” kě wáng èr zǒng shì zuǒ ěr duo jìn yòu ěr duo chū, gēn běn tīng bù jìn qù. tā fù qīn bìng zhòng shí, hái tè yì dīng zhǔ tā shuō:“nǐ yào nǔ lì xué xí, jiāng lái hǎo guāng yào mén méi!” kě wáng èr què shuō:“fù qīn nín fàng xīn ba, wǒ yī dìng nǔ lì xué xí!” kě shì, fù qīn qù shì hòu, wáng èr jiù gèng jiā sì wú dàn dàn, zhěng tiān wú suǒ shì shì, bù wù zhèng yè. tā fù mǔ qù shì hòu, wáng èr gèng shì biàn běn jiā lì, bù sī jìn qǔ, zhěng tiān yóu shǒu hǎo xián, làng fèi guāng yīn, bǎ jiā lǐ de qián cái yě huī huò dài jìn. zuì hòu, wáng èr yī shì wú chéng, lún luò wéi yī gè wú míng xiǎo zú.

It is said that there was a young man named Wang Er in ancient times. He was naturally clever and intelligent, but he was lazy and indolent from a young age. He did not like to read and he did not want to work. He spent all day loafing around, either going to the city to stroll or to the tavern to drink, he lived a carefree and happy life. When his parents saw him like this, they often advised him:

Usage

这个成语用于批评那些不务正业、游手好闲的人。它可以用来形容那些不认真学习、工作的人，或者用来形容那些整天无所事事，浪费时间的人。

zhè gè chéng yǔ yòng yú pī píng nà xiē bù wù zhèng yè, yóu shǒu hǎo xián de rén. tā kě yǐ yòng lái xíng róng nà xiē bù rèn zhēn xué xí, gōng zuò de rén, huò zhě yòng lái xíng róng nà xiē zhěng tiān wú suǒ shì shì, làng fèi shí jiān de rén.

This idiom is used to criticize those who are not working hard and are idling their time away. It can be used to describe those who are not serious about their studies or work, or to describe those who spend their days doing nothing and wasting time.

Examples

• 他整天游手好闲，不务正业，一点也不上进。

  tā zhěng tiān yóu shǒu hǎo xián, bù wù zhèng yè, yī diǎn yě bù shàng jìn.

  He spends all day loafing around and doesn't do any real work. He's not ambitious at all.

• 别整天不务正业，该做点正事了。

  bié zhěng tiān bù wù zhèng yè, gāi zuò diǎn zhèng shì le.

  Don't spend all day doing nothing useful. It's time to get serious about your work.

• 他工作不努力，整天不务正业，怎么能取得好成绩呢？

  tā gōng zuò bù nǔ lì, zhěng tiān bù wù zhèng yè, zěn me néng qǔ dé hǎo chéng jì ne?

  He doesn't work hard and spends all day doing nothing useful. How can he achieve good results?

Related Idioms

• 游手好闲

• 不学无术

Opposite Idioms

• 刻苦钻研

• 勤勤恳恳