C2idiominformalstudyIELTS-friendly
the school of hard knocks
USUK
learning from difficult experiences in life rather than from formal education
A 'hard knock' is a painful experience. Often with 'learn in/at' or 'graduate from'. Close to Vietnamese 'trường đời'.
In context
He never went to university; he learnt business in the school of hard knocks.
My grandmother's lessons came from the school of hard knocks, not from books.
More idioms about study
- a bookworma person who loves reading and reads a lot
- a bright sparksaid ironically about someone whose clever idea was actually silly
- a closed booka subject that you do not understand or know anything about
- a crash coursea short course that teaches a lot in a very short time
- a dab hand at somethingvery good at a particular skill or activity