屠龙之技 — “The skill of slaying dragons”
屠龙之技 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a highly specialized or impressive skill that, despite its mastery, has no practical use or application in reality; a futile expertise”. Literally, “The skill of slaying dragons”.
屠龙之技 Pronunciation and Pinyin
屠龙之技 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 屠龙之技
Origin and Story of 屠龙之技
Once upon a time, a man named Zhu Piman wanted to learn a unique skill that no one else knew. He sold all his family property and went abroad to find a master to learn from.
After three years, he returned, having mastered the art. He proudly explained to people how to slay dragons, and everyone admired him. Children even asked to see his dragon-slaying sword.
However, an old man remarked, "Though your dragon-slaying skill is superb, there are no dragons to slay in the world today." It was then that Zhu Piman suddenly realized the futility of his impressive but impractical skill.
Idioms Related to 屠龙之技
Synonyms of 屠龙之技
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Open the tool →Questions about 屠龙之技
What does 屠龙之技 mean?
屠龙之技 (tú lóng zhī jì) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a highly specialized or impressive skill that, despite its mastery, has no practical use or application in reality; a futile expertise”.
How do you pronounce 屠龙之技?
屠龙之技 is pronounced tú lóng zhī jì in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 屠龙之技 literally mean?
Literally, 屠龙之技 means “the skill of slaying dragons”. It is used to mean “a highly specialized or impressive skill that, despite its mastery, has no practical use or application in reality; a futile expertise”.
Where does 屠龙之技 come from?
屠龙之技 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 屠龙之技?
屠：宰杀。宰杀蛟龙的技能。比喻技术虽高，但无实用。