Chinese idiom · 成语
一文不名
Meaning
To have not a single coin to one's name; to be penniless.
Character by character
Origin and story
Historical antecedentThe Ministry of Education dictionary treats 一文不名 as a form related to 不名一钱. That older wording draws on the Shiji biography of Deng Tong, where officials confiscate even the gifts a princess sends him. She eventually has food and clothing provided for his use, but he still cannot own a single coin and dies dependent on another household.
The key word 名 means to possess or have something to one's name. 文 is a denomination or counting unit for cash coins. The expression therefore describes being penniless, not being a person of no worth. The earlier Shiji account explains the related expression; it does not contain this exact reordered form.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
创业失败后，他几乎一文不名，只好暂时搬回父母家。
After his business failed, he was almost penniless and had to move back in with his parents temporarily.
Describes lack of money, not lack of personal value.