班门弄斧bān mén nòng fǔto display one's slight skill before an expert

1. 1.

   to display one's slight skill before an expertidiom

Figurative meaning

To display one's slight skill before an expert.

• 班not compositional here
• 门gate
• 弄to play with
• 斧hatchet

The story

To wield an axe at the gate of Ban or of the man of Ying would be nothing but brazen.

班门弄斧 can be used about oneself as a modest remark before speaking or performing in front of experts.

1. HSK 5

   在老师面前写书法，我是班门弄斧。

   Zài lǎoshī miànqián xiě shūfǎ, wǒ shì bān mén nòng fǔ.

   Writing calligraphy in front of my teacher, I'm displaying my slight skill before an expert.

2. HSK 3

   他做菜很好，我在他面前做饭是班门弄斧。

   Tā zuò cài hěn hǎo, wǒ zài tā miànqián zuò fàn shì bān mén nòng fǔ.

   He cooks very well, so cooking in front of him is showing off my slight skill before an expert.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   你唱一首歌吧！

   Nǐ chàng yì shǒu gē ba!

   Sing a song!

2. 
   Speaker B:

   这里有歌手，我不想班门弄斧。

   Zhèlǐ yǒu gēshǒu, wǒ bù xiǎng bān mén nòng fǔ.

   There's a singer here. I don't want to show off my slight skill before an expert.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   没关系，大家都想听。

   Méi guānxi, dàjiā dōu xiǎng tīng.

   It's fine, everyone wants to hear it.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   好吧，我唱得不好。

   Hǎo ba, wǒ chàng de bù hǎo.

   All right, but I don't sing well.

1. 1.What does 班门弄斧 mean?

   ATo display one's slight skill before an expertBTo work hard at schoolCTo open a door with an axe
2. 2.Which sentence uses 班门弄斧 correctly?

   A在厨师面前做饭，我是班门弄斧。B今天的菜很班门弄斧。C他班门弄斧地睡觉。
3. 3.Which word fits best? 他是歌手，我在他面前唱歌是____。 (He's a singer, so my singing in front of him is showing off before an expert.)

   A班门弄斧B买椟还珠C负荆请罪

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