What does 其貌不扬 mean?

其貌不扬 (qí mào bù yáng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Unassuming in appearance”.

How do you pronounce 其貌不扬?

其貌不扬 is pronounced qí mào bù yáng in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 其貌不扬 literally mean?

Literally, 其貌不扬 means “its appearance is not remarkable”. It is used to mean “Unassuming in appearance”.

Where does 其貌不扬 come from?

其貌不扬 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 其貌不扬?

不扬：不好看。形容人容貌难看。

其貌不扬 — “Unassuming in appearance”

Q: What is the Chinese definition of 其貌不扬?

不扬：不好看。形容人容貌难看。

其貌不扬 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Unassuming in appearance”. Plain-looking; not outwardly striking. Literally, “Its appearance is not remarkable”.

Frequency

其貌不扬 Pronunciation and Pinyin

其qí
貌mào
不bù
扬yáng

其貌不扬 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
其	qí	8	its, his, her, their
貌	mào	14	appearance or looks
不	bù	4	not
扬	yáng	6	raise, praise, or scatter

Example Sentence with 其貌不扬

他虽然其貌不扬，但心地善良，才华横溢，深受同事们喜爱。

Although he is unassuming in appearance, he has a kind heart and is exceptionally talented, making him well-liked by his colleagues.

Origin and Story of 其貌不扬

In 866 AD, 32-year-old Pi Rixiu traveled to Chang'an, the capital, to take the imperial examination for jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). However, because he was unwilling to flatter influential officials, he failed the examination.

The following year, he went to the capital again for the examination. Zheng Yu, the Assistant Minister of Rites and the chief examiner, greatly admired his essays. Before the results were announced, he summoned Pi Rixiu to his residence.

Upon seeing Pi Rixiu's unassuming appearance and asymmetrical eyes, Zheng Yu mocked him. Pi Rixiu immediately retorted with a sharp comeback.

Idioms Related to 其貌不扬

Synonyms of 其貌不扬

Antonyms of 其貌不扬

More idioms starting with 其

Questions about 其貌不扬

What does 其貌不扬 mean?: 其貌不扬 (qí mào bù yáng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Unassuming in appearance”.
How do you pronounce 其貌不扬?: 其貌不扬 is pronounced qí mào bù yáng in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 其貌不扬 literally mean?: Literally, 其貌不扬 means “its appearance is not remarkable”. It is used to mean “Unassuming in appearance”.
Where does 其貌不扬 come from?: 其貌不扬 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 其貌不扬?: 不扬：不好看。形容人容貌难看。

Copy the pinyin for 其貌不扬 →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.