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雕阑玉砌
雕阑玉砌
雕阑玉砌
雕阑玉砌
雕阑玉砌
雕阑玉砌
雕阑玉砌
雕阑玉砌

雕阑玉砌 — “Carved balustrades and jade steps”

雕阑玉砌 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “describes magnificent and luxurious buildings, often featuring intricately carved balustrades and splendid, jade-like steps; indicative of grandeur and opulence in architecture”. Literally, “Carved balustrades and jade steps”.

Frequency

雕阑玉砌 Pronunciation and Pinyin

雕阑玉砌 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order
CharacterPinyinStrokesMeaning
雕
diāo16carve or sculpt
阑
lán12railing, block, residual
玉
yù5jade, precious, beautiful
砌
qì9lay bricks or stones

Example Sentence with 雕阑玉砌

登上高处俯瞰,曾经富丽堂皇的宫殿只剩下断壁残垣,昔日的雕阑玉砌已不见踪影。
Looking down from the high vantage point, the once magnificent palace was reduced to crumbling walls, its former carved balustrades and jade steps nowhere to be seen.

Origin and Story of 雕阑玉砌

In 960 AD, Zhao Kuangyin initiated the Chenqiao Mutiny, establishing the Song Dynasty and conquering various states such as Nanping, Later Shu, and Nan Han.

Li Yu, the last emperor of the Southern Tang Dynasty, neglected his governmental duties, instead immersing himself in poetry and lyric composition. He was eventually defeated by the Song Dynasty. After his surrender, he was granted the title of 'Marquis of Disobedience'.

While in captivity, Li Yu penned a famous lyric that read: 'Carved balustrades and jade steps should still be there, but the youthful countenances have changed.' Emperor Taizong of Song interpreted these lines as an expression of sorrow for his lost kingdom and a veiled criticism, using it as a pretext to have Li Yu executed.

Idioms Related to 雕阑玉砌

Synonyms of 雕阑玉砌

  • fù富lì丽táng堂huáng皇Luxurious and grand
  • diāo雕liáng梁huà画dòng栋magnificent ornate buildings

Antonyms of 雕阑玉砌

  • qióng穷xiàng巷lòu陋shì室humble secluded dwelling
  • shéng绳chuáng床wǎ瓦zào灶extremely poor living conditions

More idioms starting with 雕

  • diāo雕qiáng墙jùn峻yǔ宇luxurious and opulent residences
  • diāo雕xīn心kè刻shèn肾painstaking literary refinement
  • diāo雕xīn心yàn雁zhǎo爪utterly ruthless and cruel
  • diāo雕xīn心yīng鹰zhǎo爪cruel heart and vicious methods
  • diāo雕wén文kè刻lòu镂carve elaborate patterns
  • diāo雕wén文zhī织cǎi采ornate and flowery language
  • diāo雕lán栏yù玉qì砌magnificent ornate buildings
  • diāo雕lán栏huà画dòng栋magnificently ornate buildings
  • diāo雕liáng梁xiù绣hù户magnificent ornate architecture
  • diāo雕liáng梁xiù绣zhù柱elaborately carved beams and painted pillars
  • diāo雕yíng楹bì碧kǎn槛magnificent ornate architecture

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Questions about 雕阑玉砌

What does 雕阑玉砌 mean?

雕阑玉砌 (diāo lán yù qì) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “describes magnificent and luxurious buildings, often featuring intricately carved balustrades and splendid, jade-like steps; indicative of grandeur and opulence in architecture”.

How do you pronounce 雕阑玉砌?

雕阑玉砌 is pronounced diāo lán yù qì in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 雕阑玉砌 literally mean?

Literally, 雕阑玉砌 means “Carved balustrades and jade steps”. It is used to mean “describes magnificent and luxurious buildings, often featuring intricately carved balustrades and splendid, jade-like steps; indicative of grandeur and opulence in architecture”.

Where does 雕阑玉砌 come from?

雕阑玉砌 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 雕阑玉砌?

形容富丽的建筑物。

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