Literally meaning "to leave one's thatched hut for the first time," this describes someone who has just entered society or started their career and lacks experience; a novice or greenhorn. Reference is to Zhuge Liang beginning his service to Liu Bei in the [[三国演义|三國演義|san1 guo2 yan3 yi4]].

To make earnest and repeated requests for someone to take up a post or help with a cause; literally "to visit the thatched cottage three times," based on the story of [[刘备|劉備|liu2 bei4]] recruiting [[诸葛亮|諸葛亮|zhu1 ge3 liang4]] in the [[三国演义|三國演義|san1 guo2 yan3 yi4]].

to visit a person of talent multiple times to request their services; a variation of the phrase referring to the three visits to the thatched cottage