初出茅庐 (chū chū máo lú) — at the beginning of one's career; young and inexperienced
Definition
A chengyu meaning 'just out of the thatched hut' — used to describe someone brand-new to a field, with a slightly self-deprecating or sympathetic tone (often paired with 但 'but…' to highlight hidden talent).
idiom
at the beginning of one's careeryoung and inexperienced
Examples
- 初出茅庐,。Tā suī rán chū chū máo lú, dàn gōng zuò fēi cháng nǔ lì.Although he is new to the field, he works very hard.
- 初出茅庐,。Zuò wéi yí gè chū chū máo lú de zuò jiā, tā de zuò pǐn yǐ jīng yǐn qǐ le guān zhù.As a fledgling writer, his work has already attracted attention.
- ,初出茅庐,。Bié xiǎo kàn tā, tā suī chū chū máo lú, dàn hěn yǒu cái huá.Don't underestimate him — he may be a rookie, but he's very talented.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.