才疏学浅 Cái shū xué qiǎn limited talent and learning

Explanation

指才学不高，学识不深。常用作自谦之词。

It means one's talent and learning are not very high or deep. It is often used as a self-effacing expression.

Origin Story

书生小李自幼勤奋好学，但因家境贫寒，求学条件艰苦，一直未能读到理想的学府。虽苦读多年，却也仅仅掌握了皮毛。一日，小李应邀参加当地县令的宴会，席间，县令与众文人雅士高谈阔论，引经据典，小李只觉自己才疏学浅，无法参与其中，只能默默倾听，心中暗自惭愧。他暗下决心，要更加努力学习，将来也能像那些文人一样，才华横溢，学识渊博，为国效力。

shūshēng xiǎo lǐ zì yòu qínfèn hàoxué, dàn yīn jiā jìng pín hán, qiú xué tiáojiàn jiānkǔ, yī zhí wèi néng dú dào lǐxiǎng de xuéfǔ. suī kǔ dú duō nián, què yě jǐngjǐng zhǎngwò le pí máo. yī rì, xiǎo lǐ yìngyāo cānjiā dāngdì xiàn lìng de yànhuì, xí jiān, xiàn lìng yǔ zhòng wénrén yǎshì gāo tán kuò lùn, yǐn jīng jù diǎn, xiǎo lǐ zhǐ jué zìjǐ cái shū xué qiǎn, wúfǎ cān yù qí zhōng, zhǐ néng mòmò qīngtīng, xīn zhōng àn zì cán kuì. tā àn xià jué xīn, yào gèngjiā nǔlì xuéxí, jiāng lái yě néng xiàng nàxiē wénrén yīyàng, cái huá héngyì, xuéshí yuānbó, wèi guó xiàolì.

A young scholar named Xiao Li diligently studied from a young age, but due to his poor family background and harsh learning conditions, he was never able to attend his ideal university. Despite years of hard study, he only mastered a superficial understanding of his subjects. One day, Xiao Li was invited to a banquet hosted by the local magistrate. At the banquet, the magistrate and other scholars engaged in lively discussions, quoting classical texts and demonstrating profound knowledge. Xiao Li felt his own limited knowledge and talent, and he was unable to participate, silently listening instead and feeling a pang of shame. He resolved to study even harder so that one day he, too, could be brilliant and erudite, serving his country with distinction.

Usage

用于自谦，表示自己才学浅薄，知识有限。

yòng yú zì qiān,biǎoshì zìjǐ cái xué qiǎn bó,zhīshì yǒuxiàn.

Used to be modest, indicating that one's talent and learning are shallow and one's knowledge is limited.

Examples

• 在下才疏学浅，不敢妄加评论。

  wo xiaocài shū xué qiǎn,bù gǎn wàngjiā pínglùn.

  I am too ignorant to comment.

• 承蒙各位前辈指点，小子才疏学浅，受益匪浅。

  chéngméng gè wèi qiánbèi zhǐdiǎn,xiǎo zi cái shū xué qiǎn,shòuyì fěiqiǎn.

  Thanks to the guidance of my seniors, I have learned a lot, despite my limited knowledge and skills.

Related Idioms

• 学识渊博

• 才高八斗

Opposite Idioms

• 博学多才

• 才华横溢