破铜烂铁 junk
Explanation
指破旧无用的铜铁器物，也泛指各种破旧无用的东西。
Refers to old and useless copper and iron objects, but also to various other old and useless things.
Origin Story
清朝时期，一位名叫杭大宗的商人以买卖旧货为生。他走街串巷，收集各种破铜烂铁，再整理修复后卖出，生意做得风生水起。一次，皇帝南巡，召见了杭大宗。皇帝好奇地问他靠什么维持生计，杭大宗如实相告。皇帝听后龙颜大悦，亲自题写了“买卖破铜烂铁”六字招牌赠予他，这不仅是对杭大宗勤劳致富的肯定，更成为一段佳话，流传至今。
During the Qing Dynasty, a businessman named Hang Dazong made his living by trading in used goods. He went through the streets and alleys, collecting various kinds of scrap metal, and then repairing and selling them, his business booming. Once, when the emperor was on a southern tour, he summoned Hang Dazong. The emperor curiously asked him how he made a living, and Hang Dazong honestly told him. The emperor was very pleased and personally wrote a six-character sign, "Buy and sell scrap metal," and gave it to him. This was not only an affirmation of Hang Dazong's industrious way to wealth, but also became a good story, passed down to this day.
Usage
多用于形容破旧无用的东西。
Often used to describe old and useless things.
Examples
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他把旧家具都扔了，说这些破铜烂铁占地方。
ta ba jiu jiaju dou reng le, shuo zhexie po tong lan tie zhan difang.
He threw away all the old furniture, saying that these old junk took up space.
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这堆破铜烂铁根本没有价值。
zhe dui po tong lan tie genben meiyou jiazhi.
This pile of junk is worthless.