优孟衣冠 | impersonate or mimic someone

yōu优mèng孟yī衣guān冠

To impersonate or mimic someone, especially by adopting their appearance and mannerisms; to play a role or act on stage.

在晚会上，他常常优孟衣冠，模仿各种名人的言行，引得大家哈哈大笑。

At the party, he often impersonated various celebrities, mimicking their speech and actions, which made everyone laugh out loud.

Era:

Ancient

Frequency:

Synonym:

东施效颦、邯郸学步、鹦鹉学舌

Antonym:

别具一格、别开生面、独辟蹊径

Story:

During the Spring and Autumn period, You Meng, a famous jester and entertainer in the Chu King's palace, heard that the son of the late prime minister Sun Shu'ao was living in extreme poverty after his father's death.

Feeling sympathetic, You Meng put on Sun Shu'ao's clothes and hat, imitating his voice, appearance, and demeanor, and went to see the King of Chu.

The King was moved by the striking resemblance, and You Meng seized the opportunity to describe the dire situation of Sun Shu'ao's son.

Deeply touched by the story and You Meng's gesture, the King of Chu generously re-conferred titles and land upon Sun Shu'ao's son.

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