斯文扫地

斯文掃地

sīwén-sǎodì

idiom

Meanings

1 culture/learning dragged through the mud
2 scholars lose their dignity
3 intellectual values trampled

Characters

culture, learning

Examples

这种抄袭行为让学术界斯文扫地。

Zhèzhǒng chāoxí xíngwéi ràng xuéshùjiè sīwénsǎodì.

This plagiarism drags academia through the mud.

教授公开辱骂学生，真是斯文扫地。

Jiàoshòu gōngkāi rǔmà xuéshēng, zhēnshi sīwénsǎodì.

A professor publicly insulting students — what a disgrace to scholarly dignity.

他的丑闻让文化界斯文扫地。

Tā de chǒuwén ràng wénhuà jiè sīwénsǎodì.

His scandal brought shame to the cultural establishment.

Tips

history

斯文 ('this culture') comes from 《论语·子罕》, where Confucius used it for the civilizing tradition. Qing writer Xu Ke's 《清稗类钞》 paired it with 扫地 (swept to the ground) for this idiom.

register

Formal, literary. Used specifically about the loss of dignity among the educated class or the debasement of cultural/intellectual standards — not general embarrassment.

Stroke Order

斯 sī

文 wén

扫 sǎo

地 dì