万般皆下品，唯有读书高萬般皆下品，唯有讀書高萬般皆下品，唯有讀書高

all trades are low-grade; only book study is lofty

Saying俗语俗語

Proverb谚语諺語 · Widely known

May offend: mocks a group of people

Meaning: The old view that scholarship is superior to every other occupation. Now often quoted critically as an outdated, elitist attitude.

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Simplified: 万般皆下品，唯有读书高
Traditional (Taiwan): 萬般皆下品，唯有讀書高
Pinyin: wànbān jiē xiàpǐn, wéiyǒu dúshū gāo
Bopomofo: ㄨㄢˋ ㄅㄢㄐㄧㄝㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄆㄧㄣˇ，ㄨㄟˊ ㄧㄡˇ ㄉㄨˊ ㄕㄨㄍㄠ

Written with HSK 7-9 vocabulary, at CEFR level C1.

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