黍油麦秀 — Chinese Idiom
黍油麦秀 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to lament over the desolation and ruin of a formerly prosperous or glorious place, often symbolized by the sight of wild vegetation growing where grand structures once stood”.
黍油麦秀 Pronunciation and Pinyin
黍油麦秀 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 黍油麦秀
Origin and Story of 黍油麦秀
The idiom "Shu You Mai Xiu" originates from two historical laments for fallen dynasties.
After the Western Zhou Dynasty was overthrown, a Zhou official visited its former capital. He was profoundly moved to see that the once grand ancestral temples and magnificent palaces had become fields of flourishing millet. Overwhelmed by sorrow for the lost glory, he composed the 'Shuli' poem.
Later, Weizi, a nobleman from the Shang Dynasty, visited the ruins of Yin Xu, the former Shang capital. He found the once splendid palaces in decay, overgrown with wheat and millet. This sight filled him with deep sadness for the fallen dynasty, inspiring him to sing the 'Maixiu' song.
The idiom thus combines these two instances of profound sorrow and regret for the desolation of once glorious places.
Idioms Related to 黍油麦秀
Synonyms of 黍油麦秀
More idioms starting with 黍
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Open the tool →Questions about 黍油麦秀
What does 黍油麦秀 mean?
黍油麦秀 (shǔ yóu mài xiù) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to lament over the desolation and ruin of a formerly prosperous or glorious place, often symbolized by the sight of wild vegetation growing where grand structures once stood”.
How do you pronounce 黍油麦秀?
黍油麦秀 is pronounced shǔ yóu mài xiù in Mandarin Chinese.
Where does 黍油麦秀 come from?
黍油麦秀 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 黍油麦秀?
以之为亡国之痛的感叹。