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During the Spring and Autumn period, Zilu, a disciple of Confucius, was known for his straightforward nature. He enjoyed playing the se (a stringed instrument) but was not fond of reading.
Confucius guided him, and Zilu resolved to diligently study and practice the se.
However, the sound of his se playing often carried an aggressive tone.
Confucius corrected him, then praised him, saying, 'Zilu's skill in playing the se has already 'ascended the hall' but has not yet 'entered the inner chamber.' He has achieved a certain level of accomplishment, but has not yet reached the highest realm of mastery.'

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Open the tool →登堂入室 (dēng táng rù shì) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to reach a high level of proficiency or mastery in a skill or field of study; to progress from a basic understanding to profound expertise”.
登堂入室 is pronounced dēng táng rù shì in Mandarin Chinese.
Literally, 登堂入室 means “Ascend the hall and enter the inner chamber”. It is used to mean “to reach a high level of proficiency or mastery in a skill or field of study; to progress from a basic understanding to profound expertise”.
登堂入室 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
堂、室:古代宫室,前面是堂,后面是室。登上厅堂,进入内室。比喻学问或技能从浅到深,达到很高的水平。