登堂入室

dēngtáng-rùshì

idiom #48,998

Meanings

1 to reach an advanced level
2 to master a field
3 to progress from the hall into the inner chamber

Characters

Examples

学了十年书法，他已经登堂入室了。

Xué le shínián shūfǎ, tā yǐjīng dēngtángrùshì le.

After ten years of calligraphy, he has reached an advanced level.

想在这个领域登堂入室，没有几年功夫是不行的。

Xiǎng zài zhège lǐngyù dēngtángrùshì, méiyǒu jǐ nián gōngfu shì bùxíng de.

To truly master this field, you need several years of serious effort.

Tips

history

From 《论语·先进》, where Confucius says of his student Zilu: 由也升堂矣，未入于室也 ('He has entered the hall but not yet the inner room'). The two-stage progression — hall first, inner chamber next — became shorthand for moving from competent to truly accomplished.

Stroke Order

登 dēng

堂 táng

入 rù

室 shì