博览群书 (bó lǎn qún shū) — well-read, widely read, erudite

Definition

Idiom meaning 'widely read / well-read,' praising someone for having read enormous quantities across many subjects. Implies breadth and depth, going beyond the simpler 学识渊博.

idiom
well-readwidely readerudite

Examples

  • 博览群书，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo bó lǎn qún shū, zhī shi fēi cháng yuān bó.
    He has been well-read since childhood and has very profound knowledge.
  • 博览群书。
    Yí wèi bó lǎn qún shū de xué zhě cái néng xiě chū zhè yàng shēn kè de wén zhāng.
    Only a well-read scholar can write such profound articles.
  • 博览群书，。
    Tā bó lǎn qún shū, tán qǐ lì shǐ lái rú shǔ jiā zhēn.
    He is widely read and can talk about history like counting family treasures.

Origin

Characters in this word

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
十十shíten
Sound part声符shēngfú
尃
尃fū博
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from combining 十 (ten) with 尃; 尃 gives the sound.

Open 博 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 覽; 览 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
監
監jiān覽lǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 覽 uses 見, meaning see, for the sense and 監 for the sound; the simplified 览 is a later shorthand.

Open 览 →

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
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
君
君jūn群
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

群 pairs 羊, a sheep, to point to a herd or group, with 君 giving the sound.

Open 群 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

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