蒲柳之质 — “Used to describe someone who is physically weak”
蒲柳之质 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “used to describe someone who is physically weak”. Frail, or showing signs of premature aging. It metaphorically refers to a delicate constitution that easily succumbs to the ravages of time or illness. Literally, “nature of willow or poplar”.
蒲柳之质 Pronunciation and Pinyin
蒲柳之质 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 蒲柳之质
Origin and Story of 蒲柳之质
During the Jin Dynasty, Gu Yue, the Right Assistant Minister of the Department of State Affairs, was the same age as Emperor Jianwen. However, while the Emperor's hair remained black, Gu Yue's hair had turned completely white.
The Emperor asked him why his hair had whitened so early.
Gu Yue replied, "Your Majesty possesses the demeanor of a pine and cypress, flourishing even through frost; while your humble servant has the delicate constitution of a willow, withering before autumn."
The Emperor was very pleased by his answer.
Idioms Related to 蒲柳之质
Synonyms of 蒲柳之质
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Open the tool →Questions about 蒲柳之质
What does 蒲柳之质 mean?
蒲柳之质 (pú liǔ zhī zhì) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “used to describe someone who is physically weak”.
How do you pronounce 蒲柳之质?
蒲柳之质 is pronounced pú liǔ zhī zhì in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 蒲柳之质 literally mean?
Literally, 蒲柳之质 means “nature of willow or poplar”. It is used to mean “used to describe someone who is physically weak”.
Where does 蒲柳之质 come from?
蒲柳之质 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 蒲柳之质?
蒲柳：水杨，秋天凋谢早。多用来比喻身体衰弱或未老先衰。