# 不学无术

bù xué wú shù

Ignorant and lacking useful skills

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Without learning or skill

**Traditional Chinese:** 不學無術

**Register:** Critical · formal

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Strongly criticize lack of knowledge and competence.

It criticizes competence, not formal qualifications alone.

## Understanding the expression

The phrase pairs two shortcomings: someone has not learned enough and has no effective skill to draw on. It is a severe judgment, often aimed at a person who claims authority while showing little understanding. A lack of a diploma is not the same thing, because people can learn outside school. Use concrete failures to support the criticism instead of treating a person's background as proof.

## Examples

他不学无术，却总爱指点别人。

### Traditional Chinese

他不學無術，卻總愛指點別人。

tā bù xué wú shù ， què zǒng ài zhǐ diǎn bié rén 。

He is ignorant and incompetent yet loves instructing others.

那位顾问不学无术，连基本概念都弄错。

### Traditional Chinese

那位顧問不學無術，連基本概念都弄錯。

nà wèi gù wèn bù xué wú shù ， lián jī běn gài niàn dōu nòng cuò 。

That consultant lacks knowledge and gets even basic concepts wrong.

别把没上大学的人都说成不学无术。

### Traditional Chinese

別把沒上大學的人都說成不學無術。

bié bǎ méi shàng dà xué de rén dōu shuō chéng bù xué wú shù 。

Do not call everyone without a university education ignorant.

她努力读书，不愿成为不学无术的人。

### Traditional Chinese

她努力讀書，不願成為不學無術的人。

tā nǔ lì dú shū ， bú yuàn chéng wéi bù xué wú shù de rén 。

She studies hard because she does not want to remain ignorant and unskilled.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E4%B8%8D%E5%AD%B8%E7%84%A1%E8%A1%93)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=40&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [不遗余力 bù yí yú lì Put every available effort into something ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/bu-yi-yu-li)

- [乘风破浪 chéng fēng pò làng Advance boldly through difficulties ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/cheng-feng-po-lang)

- [持之以恒 chí zhī yǐ héng Maintain an effort consistently ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/chi-zhi-yi-heng)

- [重整旗鼓 chóng zhěng qí gǔ Regroup and prepare to try again ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/chong-zheng-qi-gu)

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