大言不惭 Boast shamelessly
Explanation
形容说话夸大而不感到羞耻。
Describes someone who exaggerates and doesn't feel ashamed.
Origin Story
话说唐朝时期,有个秀才名叫王大宝,自幼聪颖,好读诗书。但他有个毛病,就是好夸夸其谈,大言不惭。一次,王大宝进京赶考,路上遇到一位老秀才。老秀才见他年纪轻轻,便试探性地问道:"小兄弟,此去赶考,可有把握?"王大宝不假思索,信誓旦旦地说:"状元及第,那是囊中之物!"老秀才听罢,捋须微笑,并没有多说什么。后来,王大宝果然名落孙山。回乡途中,他又遇到了那位老秀才。老秀才笑着说:"小兄弟,你的状元及第,看来还在囊中呢!"王大宝这才羞愧难当,明白了自己大言不惭的错误。从此以后,他改掉了夸夸其谈的坏习惯,潜心苦读,最终金榜题名,实现了人生的理想。
It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, there was a scholar named Wang Daobao, who was intelligent from a young age and loved to read. However, he had a flaw: he liked to boast and speak shamelessly. Once, Wang Daobao went to the capital to take the imperial examination, and on the way he met an old scholar. Seeing his young age, the old scholar tentatively asked, "Young brother, do you have any confidence in passing the exam?" Wang Daobao, without thinking, confidently said, "Becoming the top scholar is a sure thing!" The old scholar listened, stroked his beard, smiled, and didn’t say much. Later, Wang Daobao failed the exam. On his way back home, he met the old scholar again. The old scholar smiled and said, "Young brother, your top scholar status seems to still be in your pocket!" Only then did Wang Daobao feel ashamed and understood the mistake of his shameless boasting. From then on, he changed his bad habit of boasting, studied diligently, and eventually passed the examination, realizing his life’s ambition.
Usage
常用来形容人说话夸大而不自觉,也指不自量力。
Often used to describe someone who exaggerates without realizing it, or who overestimates themselves.
Examples
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他大言不惭地夸下海口,结果却一事无成。
tā dàyánbùcán de kuà xià hǎikǒu, jiéguǒ què yìshìwúchéng.
He boasted shamelessly and ended up accomplishing nothing.
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会议上,他大言不惭地发表了一番不切实际的言论。
huìyì shàng, tā dàyánbùcán de fābiǎo le yīfān bùqiē shíjì de yánlùn
At the meeting, he shamelessly made some unrealistic remarks