三教九流 (sān jiào jiǔ liú) — the Three Doctrines (Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism) and the Nine Schools (ancient Chinese philosophical schools); (derogatory) people from all walks of life (especially disreputable or low-status people)

Definition

Literally 'the Three Doctrines and Nine Schools,' originally the major schools of ancient Chinese thought; now usually pejorative, meaning 'people of all sorts, riffraff.'

idiom
the Three Doctrines (Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism) and the Nine Schools (ancient Chinese philosophical schools)(derogatory) people from all walks of life (especially disreputable or low-status people)

Examples

  • 三教九流、、。
    Gǔ dài sān jiào jiǔ liú zhǐ de shì rú jiào, dào jiào, fó jiào hé zhū zǐ bǎi jiā.
    In ancient times, the Three Doctrines and Nine Schools referred to Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and the Hundred Schools of Thought.
  • ，三教九流，。
    Nà ge dì fāng yú lóng hùn zá, sān jiào jiǔ liú shén me yàng de rén dōu yǒu, nǐ zuì hǎo bié qù.
    That place is a mixed bag—all kinds of unsavory characters are there; you'd better not go.
  • 三教九流，。
    Tā zhěng tiān gēn nà xiē sān jiào jiǔ liú hùn zài yì qǐ, nán guài xué huài le.
    He hangs out with that riffraff all day, no wonder he's gone bad.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

三教three doctrines
三sānthree教jiàodoctrine
偏正Modifier + head
九流nine schools
九jiǔnine流liúschool
偏正Modifier + head

三教 and 九流 name the three doctrines and nine schools, together suggesting all walks of life.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

三 is drawn as three parallel strokes, like 一 with one stroke and 二 with two.

Open 三 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
子子zǐchild
攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo教jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Open 教 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape comes from a stylized hand bent at the wrist, with the lower-right hook showing the bend. Later, it was taken to show a tightened fist bumping up to ten, giving the number nine.

Open 九 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㐬
㐬㐬流liú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Open 流 →

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