骊黄牝牡 — “To judge by superficial appearances”

Q: What is the Chinese definition of 骊黄牝牡?

犹言牝牡骊黄。喻指事物的表面现象。

骊黄牝牡 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to judge by superficial appearances”. To focus on external characteristics rather than the true essence or intrinsic quality. Literally, “Black horse, yellow horse, mare, stallion”.

Frequency

骊黄牝牡 Pronunciation and Pinyin

骊黄牝牡 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
骊	lí	10	black horse or dragon
黄	huáng	11	yellow color
牝	pìn	6	female animal
牡	mǔ	7	male, bolt, mound

Example Sentence with 骊黄牝牡

在评价一个人时，我们不应只看骊黄牝牡，更要深入了解其品格与能力。

When evaluating a person, we should not merely look at superficial appearances; rather, we must delve deeper to understand their character and abilities.

Origin and Story of 骊黄牝牡

During the Spring and Autumn period, Duke Mu of Qin asked Sun Yang, also known as Bole, a renowned judge of horses, to find him a thousand-li horse. As Bole grew old, Duke Mu inquired if he had a successor. Bole recommended Jiufang Gao, a humble man, to search for a fine steed.

After three months, Jiufang Gao returned and reported that he had found a magnificent yellow mare in Sha Qiu. However, when the Duke's attendants went to retrieve the horse, they found a pure black stallion. Duke Mu was displeased and confronted Bole, asking how Jiufang Gao, who couldn't even distinguish between colors and genders, could be a good horse judge.

Bole, however, explained, "This is precisely why Jiufang Gao is so extraordinary! What he observes is the horse's inner spirit and vital essence, not its superficial 'black, yellow, mare, stallion' (骊黄牝牡). He sees beyond the physical form to the true nature." Indeed, the black stallion turned out to be an exceptionally fast and excellent horse.