三教九流

1. • the Three Religions (Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism) and Nine Schools (Confucians, Daoists, Yin-Yang, Legalists, Logicians, Mohists, Political Strategists, Eclectics, Agriculturists)
2. • fig. people from all trades (often derog.)

Character by character

• 三(sān)surname San
• 教(jiào)teaching
• 九(jiǔ)nine
• 流(liú)flow