穷酸

A vintage put-down for failed-exam scholars in imperial China — broke yet still putting on bookish airs. 酸 (literally 'sour') in this compound carries the sense of 'pedantic, affected' rather than the taste. Modern usage extends to anyone who cosplays sophistication on no money.

Mildly derogatory and dated — fine in literary/period contexts, but a bit cutting if applied to a real person today.