people in various trades; the three religions (Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism) and the nine schools of thought (the Confucians, the Taoists, the Yin-Yang, the Legalists, the Logicians, the Mohists, the Political Strategists, the Ecletics and the Agriculturists); various religious sects and academic schools
三教：指儒教、道教、佛教。九流：指儒家、道家、阴阳家、法家、名家、墨家、纵横家、杂家、农家。泛指宗教、学术中的各种流派。也指社会上各行业或各类人。含贬义。
联合式；作主语、宾语、定语；含贬义
旧指宗教或学术上的各种流派。也指社会上各行各业的人。
宋·赵彦卫《云麓漫钞》卷六：“（梁武）帝问三教九流及汉朝旧事，了如目前。”
他是个社会活动家，朋友遍及三教九流。