📖 Meaning
To boast of one's abilities and pride oneself on one's talents. It describes a person who is arrogant and conceited, believing themselves to be supremely gifted and capable.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom does not have a single specific origin story but reflects a recurring theme in classical Chinese thought. Confucian and Daoist texts alike warned against self-aggrandizement, with figures such as Laozi counseling humility and the I Ching cautioning that pride precedes a fall. The compound draws on 矜 (to boast) paired with 负 (to rely on or bear), both common in classical literature critiquing scholars who flaunt their talents.
💡 Example Usage
他矜能负才，不把同事放在眼里。
He boasted of his abilities and prided himself on his talents, looking down on his colleagues.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 矜能负才
- Pinyin: jīn néng fù cái
- Literal Translation: boast of ability, rely on talent
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4