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
一波三折
yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Love ease, hate work
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Extremes lead to reversal
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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近水楼台
jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Advantage from close connections
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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因果报应
yīn guǒ bào yìng
Actions have consequences
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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”.