千里送鹅毛 — “Sending a goose feather a thousand li”
千里送鹅毛 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a small gift sent from a long distance, symbolizing profound sentiment or heartfelt affection; the thought is more important than the gift itself”. Literally, “Sending a goose feather a thousand li”.
千里送鹅毛 Pronunciation and Pinyin
千里送鹅毛 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 千里送鹅毛
Origin and Story of 千里送鹅毛
The idiom "千里送鹅毛" (qīan lǐ sòng é máo) originates from Xu Wei's "Lu Shi," which states, "A goose feather sent from a thousand li away, the gift is light but the sentiment is heavy." This proverb means that even a small gift, though seemingly insignificant, carries deep and profound affection.
The story behind it tells of a local official who, by chance, acquired a rare swan. He entrusted his loyal attendant, Mian Bogao, to deliver it as a tribute to the Emperor. As Mian Bogao journeyed, clutching the swan, he arrived at the edge of Poyang Lake. He decided to give the swan a bath and carefully placed it into the water. To his dismay, the swan flapped its wings and flew off, leaving behind only a single feather. Unable to recapture the bird, Mian Bogao had no option but to present this lone feather to the Emperor.
Fearing the Emperor's wrath, he cleverly improvised a rhyme, roughly translating to: "I have traveled over mountains and rivers to bring you this tribute, but at Poyang Lake, the swan escaped. My heart is filled with sorrow. I humbly request your forgiveness, Your Majesty. For truly, a goose feather sent from a thousand li away, the gift is light but the sentiment is deep." Moved by Mian Bogao's words, the Emperor pardoned him.
Idioms Related to 千里送鹅毛
Synonyms of 千里送鹅毛
More idioms starting with 千
- qiān千wàn万mǎi买lín邻Good neighbors are invaluable
- qiān千sī丝wàn万lǚ缕numerous intricate and complex connections
- qiān千chéng乘wàn万qí骑Magnificent array of chariots and cavalry
- qiān千shèng乘zhī之guó国A powerful feudal state
- qiān千chéng乘zhī之wáng王A paramount sovereign or emperor
- qiān千le了wàn万dàng当everything properly settled and arranged
- qiān千liǎo了bǎi百liǎo了Everything is settled
- qiān千liǎo了bǎi百dàng当Everything properly arranged and settled
- qiān千rén人yī一miàn面all the same; lacking originality
- qiān千rén人suǒ所zhǐ指universally condemned
- qiān千rén人nuò诺nuò诺，，bù不rú如yī一shì士è谔è谔One honest critic is better than a thousand yes-men
- qiān千chóu仇wàn万hèn恨countless grudges and deep hatred
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Open the tool →Questions about 千里送鹅毛
What does 千里送鹅毛 mean?
千里送鹅毛 (qiān lǐ sòng é máo) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a small gift sent from a long distance, symbolizing profound sentiment or heartfelt affection; the thought is more important than the gift itself”.
How do you pronounce 千里送鹅毛?
千里送鹅毛 is pronounced qiān lǐ sòng é máo in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 千里送鹅毛 literally mean?
Literally, 千里送鹅毛 means “Sending a goose feather a thousand li”. It is used to mean “a small gift sent from a long distance, symbolizing profound sentiment or heartfelt affection; the thought is more important than the gift itself”.
Where does 千里送鹅毛 come from?
千里送鹅毛 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 千里送鹅毛?
比喻礼物虽然微薄，却含有深厚的情谊。