不可一世 bù kě yī shì unrivaled

Explanation

一世：一时。认为当代的人都不行。形容目空一切、狂妄自大到了极点。

Einst: once. Thinks that people of the present age are not good enough. Describes someone who despises everyone else and is arrogant.

Origin Story

传说战国时期，有个名叫庞涓的将军，他虽然武功高强，却心胸狭窄，目中无人。一次，庞涓率领军队攻打魏国，一路势如破竹，连连告捷。他得意洋洋，认为自己天下无敌，谁也无法与他抗衡。庞涓的对手是齐国名将孙膑，他作战时灵活机变，运筹帷幄，常常能出奇制胜。孙膑知道庞涓的性格弱点，便故意示弱，让庞涓放松警惕。庞涓更加得意，认为自己已经完全胜过了孙膑，便向孙膑炫耀自己的战功，并得意地说：“我现在天下无敌，无人能敌，你还有什么本事吗？”孙膑只是微微一笑，并没有回答，庞涓更加嚣张，认为孙膑已经服输了。然而，孙膑早已看穿了庞涓的计谋，在之后的战斗中，他利用庞涓的轻敌和骄傲，设下圈套，将庞涓打得落花流水。庞涓战败后，羞愧难当，最后被孙膑逼得自杀身亡。这个故事告诉我们，一个人如果骄傲自大，目中无人，最终只会自取灭亡。

chuán shuō zhàn guó shí qī, yǒu gè míng jiào páng juān de jiāng jūn, tā suī rán wǔ gōng gāo qiáng, què xīn xiōng xiá zhǎi, mù zhōng wú rén. yī cì, páng juān shuài lǐng jūn duì gōng dá wèi guó, yī lù shì rú pò zhú, lián lián gào jié. tā dé yì yáng yáng, rèn wéi zì jǐ tiān xià wú dí, shuí yě wú fǎ yǔ tā kàng héng. páng juān de duì shǒu shì qí guó míng jiāng sūn bìn, tā zhàn zhàn shí líng huó jī biàn, yùn chóu wò wò, cháng cháng néng chū qí zhì shèng. sūn bìn zhī dào páng juān de xìng gé ruò diǎn, biàn gù yì shì ruò, ràng páng juān fàng sōng jǐng tì. páng juān gèng jiā dé yì, rèn wéi zì jǐ yǐ jīng wán quán shèng guò le sūn bìn, biàn xiàng sūn bìn xuán yào zì jǐ de zhàn gōng, bìng dé yì de shuō: “wǒ xiàn zài tiān xià wú dí, wú rén néng dí, nǐ hái yǒu shén me běn shì ma?” sūn bìn zhǐ shì wēi wēi yī xiào, bìng méi yǒu huí dá, páng juān gèng jiā xiāo zhāng, rèn wéi sūn bìn yǐ jīng fú shū le. rán ér, sūn bìn zǎo yǐ kàn chuān le páng juān de jì móu, zài zhī hòu de zhàn dòu zhōng, tā lì yòng páng juān de qīng dí hé jiāo'ào, shè xià quān tào, jiāng páng juān dǎ de luò huā liú shuǐ. páng juān zhàn bài hòu, xiū kù nán dāng, zuì hòu bèi sūn bìn bī de zì shā shēn wáng. zhè ge gù shì gào sù wǒ men, yī gè rén rú guǒ jiāo'ào zì dà, mù zhōng wú rén, zuì zhōng zhǐ huì zì qǔ miè wáng.

It is said that during the Warring States period, there was a general named Pang Juan. Although he was very skilled in battle, he was narrow-minded and arrogant. Once, Pang Juan led his army to attack the State of Wei and was unstoppable on his advance, winning many victories. He was arrogant and believed that he was invincible and that no one could match him. Pang Juan's opponent was the famous general Sun Bin from the State of Qi. He was flexible in combat, thought strategically ahead, and could often win with unexpected tactics. Sun Bin knew Pang Juan's weakness and pretended to be weak to make Pang Juan feel secure. Pang Juan became even more confident and believed that he had completely surpassed Sun Bin. He boasted to Sun Bin about his military achievements and said triumphantly,

Usage

这个成语常用来形容那些过于自负、目中无人的人，也可以用来批评某些人自命不凡、狂妄自大。

zhè ge chéng yǔ cháng yòng lái xíng róng nà xiē guò yú zì fù, mù zhōng wú rén de rén, yě kě yǐ yòng lái pī píng mǒu xiē rén zì mìng bù fán, kuáng wàng zì dà.

This idiom is often used to describe those who are too conceited and think they are superior to others. It can also be used to criticize those who are arrogant and think they are better than everyone else.

Examples

• 他总是自以为是，不可一世。

  tā zǒng shì zì yǐ wéi shì, bù kě yī shì

  He is always self-righteous and thinks he is superior to everyone else.

• 年轻人不要太不可一世，要虚心学习

  nián qīng rén bù yào tài bù kě yī shì, yào xū xīn xué xí

  Young people should not be too arrogant, but should learn humbly

Related Idioms

• 目空一切

• 惟我独尊

• 旁若无人

Opposite Idioms

• 虚怀若谷

• 谦虚谨慎