自吹自擂 self-praise
Explanation
自己吹嘘，自我夸耀。形容人自吹自擂，不谦虚。
To boast about oneself, to brag. Describes a person who boasts and is not humble.
Origin Story
话说唐朝时期，有个秀才名叫张三，才华横溢却屡试不第。一日，他偶然听到一位老禅师讲经，便上前请教科举之道。老禅师笑而不语，只在地上画了个圈。张三不解其意，老禅师道：“此圈之内，皆你所知，圈外，则为未知。你若只在圈内自吹自擂，怎能考取功名？”张三茅塞顿开，从此潜心学习，广读博览，最终金榜题名，实现了自己的抱负。
It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, there was a scholar named Zhang San who was talented but repeatedly failed the imperial examinations. One day, he accidentally heard an old Zen master giving a lecture and went to ask him about the way to success in the examinations. The old Zen master smiled and said nothing, but only drew a circle on the ground. Zhang San did not understand what he meant. The old Zen master said, "Inside this circle is all that you know, outside the circle is the unknown. If you only boast within the circle, how can you succeed in the examinations?" Zhang San immediately understood and from then on diligently studied and read extensively, until finally he succeeded in the examinations and realized his ambitions.
Usage
用于形容人自吹自擂，不谦虚。
Used to describe someone who boasts and is not humble.
Examples
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他总是自吹自擂，让人难以忍受。
tā zǒngshì zì chuī zì léi, ràng rén nán yǐ rěnshòu.
He always boasts, which is unbearable.
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他自吹自擂的本事，真是让人叹为观止！
tā zì chuī zì léi de běnshi, zhēnshi ràng rén tàn wèi guānzhǐ！
His ability to boast is really admirable!