Chinese

edit
to go up; to climb; ascend
to go up; to climb; ascend; mount; register; note; to publish; to issue; to record
 
(main) hall; large room to enter room
trad. (登堂入室)
simp. #(登堂入室)
Literally: “to ascend to the hall and enter the inner room”.

Etymology

edit

From the Analects, Book 11 (《論語·先進》):

子曰:「由?」門人不敬子路。子曰:「由。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子曰:「由?」门人不敬子路。子曰:「由。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐyuē: “Yóu zhī sè, xī wèi yú Qiū zhī mén?” Ménrén bùjìng Zǐlù. Zǐyuē: “Yóu yě shēng táng yǐ, wèi shì yě.” [Pinyin]
The Master said, "What has the lute of You to do in my door?" The other disciples began not to respect Zilu. The Master said, "You has ascended to the hall, though he has not yet passed into the inner apartments."

Pronunciation

edit

Idiom

edit

登堂入室

  1. to break into a house
  2. (figurative) to attain a high level in one's learning