三教九流

Traditional form:

三教九流

Pinyin (reading):

sānjiàojiǔliú

Definitions:

• 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.)

Characters:

• 三 - three
• 教 - school, education
• 九 - nine
• 流 - to flow, to drift, to circulate; class

Traditional characters:

• 三 - three
• 教 - school, education
• 九 - nine
• 流 - to flow, to drift, to circulate; class