怀才不遇

懷才不遇

huáicái-bùyù

idiom

Meanings

1 to have talent but no opportunity to use it
2 to be an unrecognized talent
3 to be born in the wrong era

Characters

to harbor, hold within

to meet, encounter (opportunity)

Examples

HSK 7-9

他一生怀才不遇，郁郁而终。

Tā yīshēng huáicái-bùyù, yùyù ér zhōng.

All his life he had talent but no opportunity, and he died in melancholy.

HSK 7-9

在那个年代，许多文人都感叹怀才不遇。

Zài nàgè niándài, xǔduō wénrén dōu gǎntàn huáicái-bùyù.

In that era, many literati lamented that their talents were unrecognized.

Tips

history

Recorded in a Ming-dynasty story collection: watching less talented peers gain rank and salary while one’s own gifts go unused captures the feeling of 怀才不遇.

usage

Used about oneself or others, especially scholars, artists, and capable people stuck in unfavorable circumstances. Often pairs with 郁郁不得志 ("frustrated and unable to fulfill one’s ambition").

Stroke Order

怀 huái

才 cái

不 bù

遇 yù