凤毛麟角 — “Something exceedingly rare and precious”
凤毛麟角 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Something exceedingly rare and precious”. A rarity. Literally, “Phoenix feathers and unicorn's horn”.
Frequency
凤毛麟角 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 凤fèng
- 毛máo
- 麟lín
- 角jiǎo
凤毛麟角 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 凤毛麟角
像他这样既有深厚学识又富有创新精神的科学家，在当今社会真是凤毛麟角
Scientists like him, who possess both profound knowledge and an innovative spirit, are truly a rarity in today's society.
Origin and Story of 凤毛麟角
During the Southern Dynasties, Xie Chaozong, the grandson of the famous poet Xie Lingyun, was a man of great talent. He served as an attendant to Prince Liu Zilu of Xin'an, and his official writings were exceptionally brilliant. Emperor Xiaowu praised him, saying he possessed 'phoenix feathers' (凤毛).
Liu Daolong, the General of the Right Guard, upon hearing the Emperor praise Xie Chaozong for having 'phoenix feathers,' mistakenly thought it was some rare object. He then went to Xie's house to search for it, but after a long search, found nothing.
Idioms Related to 凤毛麟角
Synonyms of 凤毛麟角
More idioms starting with 凤
- fèng凤yí仪shòu兽wǔ舞virtuous teachings inspire harmony in nature
- fèng凤guān冠xiá霞pèi帔traditional elaborate ceremonial attire for women
- fèng凤huáng凰yú于fēi飞loving and harmonious couple
- fèng凤huáng凰zài在nú笯Talented person trapped by circumstances
- fèng凤huáng凰lái来yí仪A propitious omen of peace and prosperity
- fèng凤xié协luán鸾hé和harmonious and affectionate marriage
- fèng凤yǒu友luán鸾jiāo交a harmonious and loving union
- fèng凤yǒu友luán鸾xié谐a perfectly matched couple
- fèng凤zhī只luán鸾gū孤separated or widowed spouse
- fèng凤tàn叹hǔ虎shì视elegant conversation, commanding presence
- fèng凤yín吟luán鸾chuī吹Exquisite and melodious singing or music
- fèng凤zǐ子lóng龙sūn孙descendants of emperors, kings, or nobles
Questions about 凤毛麟角
- What does 凤毛麟角 mean?
- 凤毛麟角 (fèng máo lín jiǎo) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Something exceedingly rare and precious”.
- How do you pronounce 凤毛麟角?
- 凤毛麟角 is pronounced fèng máo lín jiǎo in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 凤毛麟角 literally mean?
- Literally, 凤毛麟角 means “Phoenix feathers and unicorn's horn”. It is used to mean “Something exceedingly rare and precious”.
- Where does 凤毛麟角 come from?
- 凤毛麟角 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 凤毛麟角?
- 凤凰的羽毛，麒麟的角。比喻珍贵而稀少的人或物。