What does 喜形于色 mean?

喜形于色 (xǐ xíng yú sè) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to beam with joy”.

How do you pronounce 喜形于色?

喜形于色 is pronounced xǐ xíng yú sè in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 喜形于色 literally mean?

Literally, 喜形于色 means “joy shows on one's face”. It is used to mean “to beam with joy”.

Where does 喜形于色 come from?

喜形于色 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 喜形于色?

形：表现；色：脸色。内心的喜悦表现在脸上。形容抑制不住内心的喜悦。

喜形于色 — “To beam with joy”

喜形于色 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to beam with joy”. To show one's happiness clearly on one's face, often unable to conceal it. Literally, “joy shows on one's face”.

Frequency

喜形于色 Pronunciation and Pinyin

喜xǐ
形xíng
于yú
色sè

喜形于色 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
喜	xǐ	12	happy, joyful, like, prefer
形	xíng	7	physical form or shape
于	yú	3	at, in, on, to, from
色	sè	6	color, appearance, lust

Example Sentence with 喜形于色

她收到心仪已久的礼物，不禁喜形于色

She couldn't help but beam with joy when she received the long-desired gift.

Origin and Story of 喜形于色

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Gao Yun, a distinguished official in the Wei Kingdom, was highly favored by the emperor. In his twilight years, he was confident he would live to a hundred.

One day, he fell slightly ill. Despite his family calling a doctor, he insisted on continuing his official duties.

The emperor, believing Gao Yun didn't have long to live, sent him numerous gifts, intending them for his funeral preparations. Gao Yun, however, was beaming with joy (喜形于色), interpreting the emperor's gesture as a sign of profound and meticulous care for him.

Idioms Related to 喜形于色

Synonyms of 喜形于色

Antonyms of 喜形于色

More idioms starting with 喜

Questions about 喜形于色

What does 喜形于色 mean?: 喜形于色 (xǐ xíng yú sè) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to beam with joy”.
How do you pronounce 喜形于色?: 喜形于色 is pronounced xǐ xíng yú sè in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 喜形于色 literally mean?: Literally, 喜形于色 means “joy shows on one's face”. It is used to mean “to beam with joy”.
Where does 喜形于色 come from?: 喜形于色 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 喜形于色?: 形：表现；色：脸色。内心的喜悦表现在脸上。形容抑制不住内心的喜悦。

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