| 三教九流 |
sān jiào jiǔ liú |
the Three Religions (Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism) and Nine Schools (Confucians, Daoists, Yin-Yang, Legalists, Logicians, Mohists, Political Strategists, Eclectics, Agriculturists) / fig. people from all trades (often derog.) |
| 三 |
Sān |
surname San |
| 三 |
sān |
three / 3 |
| 三教 |
Sān Jiào |
the Three Doctrines (Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism) |
| 教 |
Jiào |
surname Jiao |
| 教 |
jiāo |
to teach |
| 教 |
jiào |
religion / teaching / to make / to cause / to tell |
| 九 |
jiǔ |
nine / 9 |
| 九流 |
jiǔ liú |
the nine schools of thought, philosophical schools of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods (770-220 BC), viz Confucians 儒家, Daoists 道家, Yin and Yang 阴阳家, Legalists 法家, Logicians 名家, Mohists 墨家, Diplomats 纵横家, Miscellaneous 杂家, and Agriculturalists 农家 |
| 流 |
liú |
to flow / to disseminate / to circulate or spread / to move or drift / to degenerate / to banish or send into exile / stream of water or sth resembling one / class, rate or grade |