魑魅魍魉 — “Evil spirits and monsters”
魑魅魍魉 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Evil spirits and monsters”. (figuratively) various kinds of villains, scoundrels, or malevolent individuals. Literally, “Demons, specters, goblins, and monsters”.
魑魅魍魉 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 魑chī
- 魅mèi
- 魍wǎng
- 魉liǎng
魑魅魍魉 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 魑魅魍魉
Origin and Story of 魑魅魍魉
King Zhuang of Chu, one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period, led his army to attack the minor state of Luhun. As they passed by the Luo River near Luoyang, he brazenly displayed his troops within the territory of the Zhou royal house.
King Ding of Zhou sent Grand Master Wang Sunman to offer condolences to King Zhuang. King Zhuang rudely inquired about the weight of the Zhou royal cauldrons. Wang Sunman explained that the cauldrons were symbols of the state's power, and if the state was strong, no evil spirits or monsters () would dare approach.
Idioms Related to 魑魅魍魉
Synonyms of 魑魅魍魉
Antonyms of 魑魅魍魉
More idioms starting with 魑
Questions about 魑魅魍魉
- What does 魑魅魍魉 mean?
- 魑魅魍魉 (chī mèi wǎng liǎng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Evil spirits and monsters”.
- How do you pronounce 魑魅魍魉?
- 魑魅魍魉 is pronounced chī mèi wǎng liǎng in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 魑魅魍魉 literally mean?
- Literally, 魑魅魍魉 means “Demons, specters, goblins, and monsters”. It is used to mean “Evil spirits and monsters”.
- Where does 魑魅魍魉 come from?
- 魑魅魍魉 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 魑魅魍魉?
- 原为古代传说中的鬼怪。指各种各样的坏人。