Definition
学究 originally referred to a private-school teacher in imperial China, but today it's almost always used pejoratively for someone who is pedantic, overly bookish, and out of touch with real life — a 'bookworm' with a negative spin. The two senses are connected: the old teacher stereotype feeds the modern insult. You'll hear it in phrases like 老学究 ('old pedant') or 书呆子学究 ('nerdy pedant').
n.
(derogatory) pedantbookish person out of touch with reality(historical) master of a private school
Examples
- 学究，。Tā shuōhuà xiàng lǎo xué jiū yíyàng, mǎn kǒu zhī hū zhě yě.He talks like an old pedant, full of classical phrases.
- 学究，。Bié nàme xué jiū qì, shēnghuó bú shì zhǐyǒu shūběn.Don't be so pedantic — life isn't just about books.
- 学究塾。Zhè wèi lǎo xué jiū jiāo le yí bèizi sīshú.This old private-school teacher taught for a lifetime.
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