school of hard knocks

1870.

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school of hard knocks (plural schools of hard knocks)

1. (idiomatic, chiefly US) The source of an education consisting of real-world experiences, especially adverse experiences.
   • 1870, The Men Who Advertise: An Account of Successful Advertisers, New York: Rowell, page 161:

     Trained, however, in the school of hard knocks, he now had learned the theory of success, and from that time on has had it.

   • 2000 April 26, Walter A. McDougall, “Who Were We in Vietnam?”, in New York Times, retrieved 3 Aug. 2008:

     Did Vietnam's school of hard knocks teach Americans to do peacemaking and state building right?

• university of life
• university of the streets

• experience is the best teacher
• learn from experience
• learn the hard way