"To read extensively" means to read a wide variety of books, describing a person who reads a great deal and has broad knowledge. This idiom originates from the Records of the Three Kingdoms and carries a commendatory connotation. It is often used to praise scholars, literati, or anyone devoted to learning and possessed of wide experience. Its deeper meaning emphasizes not only the quantity of reading but also the broad vision and profound erudition gained through wide exposure to different fields. It is mostly used in formal or written contexts, such as evaluating someone's scholarly attainments or describing an attitude toward academic pursuit. For example, it commonly appears in academic introductions, biographies, and award citations. In terms of cultural background, ancient China upheld the ideal of "reading ten thousand books and traveling ten thousand miles," and extensive reading was regarded as an important quality of refined scholars and literati, close in meaning to idioms such as "learned as five cartloads of books" and "full of scholarship and literary talent." In emotional coloring, it expresses admiration and praise, and is sometimes used for self-deprecation or to encourage others. It should be noted that this idiom focuses on the breadth and quantity of reading and does not necessarily imply close reading or in-depth research.
📝 Example
1. Mr. Qian Zhongshu was widely read and mastered both Chinese and Western learning, earning the admiration of later generations.
2. If you want to quote extensively and cite various sources in your writing, you must read widely in ordinary times and accumulate rich material.