📖 Meaning
Literally meaning 'not worth a single coin,' this idiom describes something or someone as completely worthless or valueless. It is used to express utter contempt or dismissal of a person's worth, opinions, or achievements.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the 'Records of the Grand Historian' (史记·魏其安侯列传) by Sima Qian of the Han dynasty. The text records the phrase '生平毁程不识不直一钱,' describing how someone disparaged the general Cheng Bushi (程不识) as being worth less than a single coin. Cheng Bushi was a respected Han dynasty military commander known for his strict discipline. The expression later became a common metaphor for declaring someone or something to be entirely without value.
💡 Example Usage
他那些所谓的发明，在专家眼里根本不值一钱。
His so-called inventions are not worth a single coin in the eyes of experts.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 不值一钱
- Pinyin: bù zhí yī qián
- Literal Translation: not, worth, one, coin
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4