Definition
屈才 is a separable verb (离合词) meaning that someone's talent is wasted in a role beneath their ability — equivalent to 'to be overqualified for a job' or 'a waste of talent'. The 屈 part means 'to bend or submit' (here 'to waste'), and 才 is 'talent'. In use, the two syllables can split: 屈了才, 屈过才, 屈了不少才. You can also insert a measure word: 屈了一回才. It's colloquial and often used to express sympathy or dissatisfaction about a person's job assignment.
v.o.
(colloquial) to waste one's talentto be overqualified for a position
Examples
- ，屈才。Ràng yí ge bóshì zuò zhè zhǒng jiǎndān de gōngzuò, zhēn shì qū cái.Having a PhD do such simple work is really a waste of talent.
- ，。Tā suīrán bù shuō shénme, dàn xīnli juéde zìjǐ qū le cái.Even though he doesn't say anything, he feels in his heart that his talent is being wasted.
- ，屈才。Zhème yōuxiù de réncái qù guǎn cāngkù, wèimiǎn tài qū cái le.Having such an excellent person manage a warehouse is just too much of a waste of talent.
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