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衣锦还乡
衣锦还乡
衣锦还乡
衣锦还乡
衣锦还乡
衣锦还乡
衣锦还乡
衣锦还乡

衣锦还乡 — “Wearing brocade returning home”

衣锦还乡 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to return to one's hometown in glory after achieving great success or wealth, often with a sense of showing off or celebrating one's achievements before one's former neighbors”. Literally, “wearing brocade returning home”.

Frequency

衣锦还乡 Pronunciation and Pinyin

  • 衣yì
  • 锦jǐn
  • 还huán
  • 乡xiāng

衣锦还乡 Character Breakdown

CharacterPinyinStrokesMeaning
衣
yì6clothes or covering
锦
jǐn13brocade, splendid, beautiful
还
huán8still, also, return, repay
乡
xiāng3countryside, hometown, township

Example Sentence with 衣锦还乡

小明在外打拼多年,终于事业有成,今年他准备衣锦还乡,给父母一个惊喜。
Xiao Ming, after years of hard work away from home, finally achieved success in his career. This year, he plans to make a triumphant return to his hometown to give his parents a surprise.

Origin and Story of 衣锦还乡

Qian Liu, King Wusu of Wuyue, came from a poor family in his early years and faced financial hardship. Driven by the need to make a living, he joined the army, which unexpectedly led to his rise. He eventually established himself as a warlord, controlling thirteen prefectures of Wuyue and becoming a regional hegemon.

After achieving prominence, he decided to emulate Emperor Gaozu of Han by returning to his hometown in glory, intending to boast a little to his fellow villagers. Consequently, he ordered his hometown to be renamed 'Yijin Jun' (Brocade-Clad County) and extensively renovated his ancestral home and old gardens, building magnificent palaces and pavilions that were incredibly splendid for a time.

At the same time, he gathered relatives, old friends, and villagers for continuous feasting, singing, and dancing. He even draped the places where he played as a child with brocade and colorful silks, signifying that he hadn't forgotten his past. He also proudly instructed the villagers to spread his 'Hometown Return Song' everywhere to praise his achievements.

As a result, his hometown became a sensation, bustling with activity, with people saying that even Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang's 'Song of the Great Wind' couldn't compare to the commotion.

Idioms Related to 衣锦还乡

Synonyms of 衣锦还乡

  • yè叶luò落guī归gēn根Falling leaves return to their roots
  • yī衣jǐn锦róng荣guī归return home in glory

Antonyms of 衣锦还乡

  • lí离xiāng乡bèi背jǐng井leave one's hometown to live elsewhere

More idioms starting with 衣

  • yī衣bù不jiān兼cǎi彩dressed in plain clothes
  • yī衣bù不jiān兼cǎi采dressed simply and plainly
  • yī衣bù不rú如xīn新,,rén人bù不rú如gù故New clothes are best, old friends are best
  • yī衣bù不wán完cǎi采to dress simply and plainly
  • yī衣bù不bù布tǐ体clothes too ragged to cover body
  • yī衣bù不yè曳dì地dress simply and live modestly
  • yī衣bù不gài盖tǐ体dressed in rags, barely clothed
  • yī衣bù不bì蔽tǐ体clothed in rags
  • yī衣bù不jiě解dài带work tirelessly without rest
  • yī衣bù不jiě解jié结work tirelessly without rest
  • yī衣bù不zhē遮tǐ体dressed in rags
  • yī衣bù不zhē遮shēn身clothes too tattered to cover body

Questions about 衣锦还乡

What does 衣锦还乡 mean?
衣锦还乡 (yì jǐn huán xiāng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to return to one's hometown in glory after achieving great success or wealth, often with a sense of showing off or celebrating one's achievements before one's former neighbors”.
How do you pronounce 衣锦还乡?
衣锦还乡 is pronounced yì jǐn huán xiāng in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 衣锦还乡 literally mean?
Literally, 衣锦还乡 means “wearing brocade returning home”. It is used to mean “to return to one's hometown in glory after achieving great success or wealth, often with a sense of showing off or celebrating one's achievements before one's former neighbors”.
Where does 衣锦还乡 come from?
衣锦还乡 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 衣锦还乡?
旧指富贵以后回到故乡。含有向乡里夸耀的意思。
Copy the pinyin for 衣锦还乡 →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.

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