Definition
布衣 literally means 'cloth clothes' — the rough, undyed garments worn by ordinary people in ancient China, as opposed to the silk robes of officials and aristocrats. By extension, the word came to refer to commoners and, especially in literary contexts, to poor but learned scholars from humble backgrounds. In modern usage, you might still see it in semi-historical writing or in the set phrase 布衣之交 (friendship from commoner days).
n.
cotton clotheshempen clothes (simple, undyed garments)(historical) commonera person of humble originespecially a scholar who has not yet obtained office
Examples
- 布衣，。Tā chuān zhe yí jiàn jiǎndān de bù yī, kàn qǐlái xiàng ge pǔtōng rén.He wore a simple cloth gown and looked like an ordinary person.
- 布衣，。Gǔdài xǔduō réncái dōu chūshēn bù yī, hòulái què chéngwéi dà guān.In ancient times, many talented people came from commoner backgrounds but later became high officials.
- 布衣，。bù yī zhī jiāo zuì kěguì, bù yīn pínfù ér gǎibiàn.Friendship formed during commoner days is most precious; it doesn't change because of wealth or poverty.
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