improper; disreputable; of questionable character or appearance; neither fish, flesh, nor fowl
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Synonym:
Story:
The idiom "不三不四" (bù sān bù sì) originates from a story about Lu Zhishen, a heroic outlaw from Mount Liang. After saving a singing father and daughter by beating the tyrannical local bully Zheng Guanxi to death, Lu Zhishen was forced to shave his head and become a monk. He was assigned to manage a vegetable garden at Daxiangguo Temple.
This garden was often harassed by a group of disreputable and unruly ruffians. These "不三不四" individuals constantly tried to intimidate Lu Zhishen and force him to leave.
One day, they conspired to ambush him. However, Lu Zhishen, with his immense strength, single-handedly defeated them, throwing them all into a cesspit where they begged for mercy.
The term "不三不四" thus came to describe people who are disreputable, improper, or of questionable character.