百无聊赖
百无聊赖 (bǎi wú liáo lài) literally means “hundred times nothing to rely on” and expresses “utterly bored; at loose ends”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: bai wu liao lai, bai wu liao lai,百无聊赖 meaning, 百无聊赖 in english
Utterly bored; at loose ends
Pronunciation: bǎi wú liáo lài Literal meaning: Hundred times nothing to rely on
Origin & Usage
This idiom describes having a hundred (百) times nothing (无) to depend on or occupy (聊赖). It captures extreme boredom and listlessness when one has nothing meaningful to engage with. The phrase appeared in texts describing idle officials or those in forced retirement. It represents not just boredom but a deeper sense of purposelessness. Modern usage describes profound boredom, aimlessness, or the melancholy of having nothing to occupy one's time meaningfully.
Examples
English: "With nothing to do all day, she felt utterly bored."
Chinese: 整天无所事事，她百无聊赖。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 百无聊赖 mean in English?
百无聊赖 (bǎi wú liáo lài) literally translates to “Hundred times nothing to rely on” and is used to express “Utterly bored; at loose ends”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 百无聊赖 used?
Situation: With nothing to do all day, she felt utterly bored.
What is the pinyin for 百无聊赖?
The pinyin pronunciation for 百无聊赖 is “bǎi wú liáo lài”.