百无聊赖
百无聊赖 (bǎi wú liáo lài) literally means “in every direction, nothing to lean 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: In every direction, nothing to lean on
Origin & Usage
A hundred (百) ways of having nothing (无) to lean on (聊赖). 聊赖 is what one depends on to get through the time, and 百 exhausts the possibilities — every direction has been looked in and none of them offers anything. That is why the phrase is heavier than boredom: what it names is closer to listlessness with a note of despondency, the state of somebody who has time and can find no use for themselves in it. Convalescence, unemployment and long empty afternoons.
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
百尺竿头
bǎi chǐ gān tóu
Already at a very high level of attainment
Learn more →
千锤百炼
qiān chuí bǎi liàn
Perfected through repeated refinement
Learn more →
百发百中
bǎi fā bǎi zhòng
Perfect accuracy every single time
Learn more →
百思不解
bǎi sī bù jiě
Unable to understand despite much thought
Learn more →
百年大计
bǎi nián dà jì
Long-term plan; matter of lasting importance
Learn more →
百感交集
bǎi gǎn jiāo jí
Complex emotions
Learn more →
百折不挠
bǎi zhé bù náo
Unshakeable despite adversity
Learn more →
海纳百川
hǎi nà bǎi chuān
Accept all with open mind
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 百无聊赖 mean in English?
百无聊赖 (bǎi wú liáo lài) literally translates to “In every direction, nothing to lean 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”.