西子捧心 — “Xishi holding her heart/chest”
西子捧心 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “refers to a beautiful woman holding her chest due to illness, which paradoxically enhances her charm; describing how a delicate or pained demeanor can add to a beauty's allure”. Literally, “Xishi holding her heart/chest”.
西子捧心 Pronunciation and Pinyin
西子捧心 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 西子捧心
Origin and Story of 西子捧心
During the Spring and Autumn period, Xishi, a renowned beauty from the State of Yue, possessed a slender figure, red lips, and white teeth, making her exceptionally beautiful.
She suffered from heart pain, and when the illness acted up, she often held her chest with her hand and furrowed her brows. This pained yet delicate posture made her appear even more graceful and charming.
Dongshi, an unattractive neighbor, observed Xishi and decided to imitate her actions.
However, when people saw Dongshi imitating Xishi's chest-holding and frowning, they found her even uglier and more displeasing, causing them to scatter and avoid her.
Idioms Related to 西子捧心
Synonyms of 西子捧心
More idioms starting with 西
- xī西tái台tòng痛kū哭weep bitterly over national catastrophe
- xī西xué学dōng东jiàn渐Western learning spreading eastward
- xī西shān山rì日báo薄approaching end or severe decline
- xī西shān山rì日pò迫nearing the end of life or decay
- xī西shān山è饿fū夫steadfast integrity and defiance
- xī西shì市cháo朝yī衣loyal official unjustly executed
- xī西fāng方jìng净guó国Western Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha
- xī西fāng方jìng净tǔ土Buddhist Western Paradise or Pure Land
- xī西wāi歪dōng东dào倒swaying unsteadily
- xī西hé河zhī之tòng痛profound grief over loss of son
- xī西méi眉nán南liǎn脸exceptionally beautiful woman
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Open the tool →Questions about 西子捧心
What does 西子捧心 mean?
西子捧心 (xī zǐ pěng xīn) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “refers to a beautiful woman holding her chest due to illness, which paradoxically enhances her charm; describing how a delicate or pained demeanor can add to a beauty's allure”.
How do you pronounce 西子捧心?
西子捧心 is pronounced xī zǐ pěng xīn in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 西子捧心 literally mean?
Literally, 西子捧心 means “Xishi holding her heart/chest”. It is used to mean “refers to a beautiful woman holding her chest due to illness, which paradoxically enhances her charm; describing how a delicate or pained demeanor can add to a beauty's allure”.
Where does 西子捧心 come from?
西子捧心 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 西子捧心?
指美女之病态，愈增其妍。