琴ㄑㄧㄣˊqín劍ㄐㄧㄢˋjiàn飄ㄆㄧㄠpiāo零ㄌㄧㄥˊlíng

  1. 比喻文人落拓江湖，飄流四方。《群音類選·官腔類·卷二五·南西廂記·紅娘請生》：「可憐我琴劍飄零無厚聘，感不盡姻親事有成。」

英floating between zither and sword (idiom)​; fig. wandering aimlessly with no tenured position