How do you pronounce 招摇过市?

招摇过市 is pronounced zhāo yáo guò shì in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 招摇过市 literally mean?

Literally, 招摇过市 means “to flaunt through the market; to show off in public”. It is used to mean “to parade oneself ostentatiously in public”.

Where does 招摇过市 come from?

招摇过市 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 招摇过市?

招摇：张扬炫耀；市：闹市，指人多的地方。指在公开场合大摇大摆显示声势，引人注意。

招摇过市 — “To parade oneself ostentatiously in public”

招摇过市 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to parade oneself ostentatiously in public”. To swagger through the streets making a show of oneself, often implying a flamboyant or arrogant display to attract attention. Literally, “to flaunt through the market; to show off in public”.

Frequency

招摇过市 Pronunciation and Pinyin

招zhāo
摇yáo
过guò
市shì

招摇过市 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
招	zhāo	8	beckon, attract, confess, trick
摇	yáo	13	sway, rock, wave, or shake
过	guò	7	pass, cross, or go over
市	shì	5	market city

Example Sentence with 招摇过市

她穿着一身华丽的衣服，戴着闪亮的珠宝，在人群中招摇过市，引得大家纷纷侧目。

Dressed in splendid attire and adorned with sparkling jewelry, she paraded ostentatiously through the crowd, attracting everyone's gaze.

Origin and Story of 招摇过市

In 494 BC, Confucius, accompanied by his disciples Zilu and Yan Hui, traveled to the State of Wei. Duke Ling of Wei wished to establish a relationship with him.

However, Duke Ling's wife, Nanzi, who was known for her frivolous demeanor and held significant power, deliberately tried to tempt Confucius.

One day, Duke Ling and Nanzi took Confucius on an outing, conspicuously parading through the main streets of the city, making a grand spectacle of themselves without any intention of discussing the implementation of benevolent governance in Wei.

Disappointed by their superficiality, Confucius and his students had no option but to depart from the State of Wei.

Idioms Related to 招摇过市

Synonyms of 招摇过市

More idioms starting with 招

Questions about 招摇过市

What does 招摇过市 mean?: 招摇过市 (zhāo yáo guò shì) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to parade oneself ostentatiously in public”.
How do you pronounce 招摇过市?: 招摇过市 is pronounced zhāo yáo guò shì in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 招摇过市 literally mean?: Literally, 招摇过市 means “to flaunt through the market; to show off in public”. It is used to mean “to parade oneself ostentatiously in public”.
Where does 招摇过市 come from?: 招摇过市 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 招摇过市?: 招摇：张扬炫耀；市：闹市，指人多的地方。指在公开场合大摇大摆显示声势，引人注意。

Copy the pinyin for 招摇过市 →Choose tone marks or tone numbers and copy the complete four-character reading.Read Chinese vocabulary and idiom guides →Continue with words, phrases, and idioms explained through natural examples.