半路出家 (bàn lù chū jiā) — (figurative) to switch to a new profession or field without formal training; (literal) to become a monk or nun late in life
Definition
A 成语 meaning 'switched careers late without formal training' — taken literally, joining a monastery in middle age. Usually used figuratively for someone who enters a new field as a beginner.
idiom
(figurative) to switch to a new profession or field without formal training(literal) to become a monk or nun late in life
Examples
- ，半路出家。Tā xué de shì kuài jì, hòu lái bàn lù chū jiā zuò le chéng xù yuán.He studied accounting and later switched to programming without formal training.
- ，半路出家，。Bié kàn tā xiàn zài shì zhù míng dǎo yǎn, qí shí shì bàn lù chū jiā, yǐ qián zài gōng chǎng shàng bān de.Don't be fooled by his fame as a director — he actually made a late career switch, having worked in a factory before.
- 半路出家，。Zhè wèi gāo sēng bàn lù chū jiā, sì shí suì cái chū jiā xiū xíng.This eminent monk became a monk late in life; he didn't ordain until forty.
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