班门弄斧 bān mén nòng fǔ notch the boat in search of the sword

Explanation

比喻在行家面前卖弄自己的本领，不自量力。

The idiom means to show off one's skills in front of an expert, which is foolish and presumptuous.

Origin Story

传说古代鲁班是一位精通木工的能工巧匠，他制作的各种工具和家具，都非常精美实用。有一天，鲁班在自己的家门口开了一个讲学班，专门教授学生们木工技术。这时，一个年轻人带着一把斧头来到鲁班的门口，他高举着斧头，对着鲁班的弟子说：‘你们看我砍木头多厉害！’鲁班的弟子们看到年轻人拿着斧头在鲁班的门口挥舞，都感到非常可笑。鲁班听了弟子们的议论，笑着说：‘这年轻人真是班门弄斧，不知天高地厚啊！’后来，这个成语就用来比喻那些在行家面前卖弄本领，不自量力的人。

chuán shuō gǔ dài lǔ bān shì yī wèi jīng tōng mù gōng de néng gōng qiǎo jiàng, tā zhì zuò de gè zhǒng gōng jù hé jiā jù, dōu fēi cháng jīng měi shí yòng. yǒu yī tiān, lǔ bān zài zì jǐ de jiā mén kǒu kāi le yī gè jiǎng xué bān, zhuān mén jiào shòu xué shēng mén mù gōng jì shù. zhè shí, yī gè nián qīng rén dài zhe yī bǎ fǔ tóu lái dào lǔ bān de mén kǒu, tā gāo jǔ zhe fǔ tóu, duì zhe lǔ bān de dì zǐ shuō: ‘nǐ men kàn wǒ kǎn mù tóu duō lì hài!’ lǔ bān de dì zǐ mén kàn dào nián qīng rén ná zhe fǔ tóu zài lǔ bān de mén kǒu huī wǔ, dōu gǎn dào fēi cháng kě xiào. lǔ bān tīng le dì zǐ mén de yì lùn, xiào zhe shuō: ‘zhè nián qīng rén zhēn de bān mén nòng fǔ, bù zhī tiān gāo dì hòu a!’ hòu lái, zhè ge chéng yǔ jiù yòng lái bǐ yù nà xiē zài xíng jiā miàn qián mài nòng běn lǐng, bù zì liàng lì de rén.

The story goes that Lü Ban, a renowned craftsman in ancient times, was a master carpenter. The tools and furniture he made were all exquisite and practical. One day, Lü Ban opened a school in front of his own house, specializing in teaching students carpentry skills. At that time, a young man came to Lü Ban's door with an ax. He raised the ax and said to Lü Ban's disciples,

Usage

这个成语用来形容在行家面前卖弄本领，不自量力，也用来讽刺那些不懂装懂，只会夸夸其谈的人。

zhè ge chéng yǔ yòng lái xíng róng zài xíng jiā miàn qián mài nòng běn lǐng, bù zì liàng lì, yě yòng lái fěng cì nà xiē bù dǒng zhuāng dǒng, zhǐ huì kuā kuā qí tán de rén.

This idiom is used to describe someone who shows off their skills in front of an expert, without realizing their own limitations. It is also used to satirize those who pretend to know something, but can only talk about it.

Examples

• 你一个刚入行的毛头小子，就敢在老专家面前班门弄斧，真是不知天高地厚。

  nǐ yī gè gāng rù xíng de máo tóu xiǎo zi, jiù gǎn zài lǎo zhuān jiā miàn qián bān mén nòng fǔ, zhēn de bù zhī tiān gāo dì hòu.

  You, a rookie, dare to show off your skills in front of the old expert. You really don't know your place.

• 他明明对这个技术一窍不通，却在众人面前班门弄斧，真是丢人现眼。

  tā míng míng duì zhè ge jì shù yī qiào bù tōng, què zài zhòng rén miàn qián bān mén nòng fǔ, zhēn de diū rén xiàn yǎn.

  He obviously knows nothing about this technology, but he is showing off in front of everyone. It's a shame.

• 他虽然年轻，但对这门学科却颇有研究，绝不是班门弄斧之辈。

  tā suīrán nián qīng, dàn duì zhè mén xué kē què pō yǒu yán jiū, jué duì bù shì bān mén nòng fǔ zhī bèi.

  Although he is young, he has done a lot of research on this subject. He is definitely not a beginner trying to show off in front of an expert.

Related Idioms

• 不知天高地厚

• 自不量力

Opposite Idioms

• 虚心学习

• 不耻下问