唐突西子 — “To commit an offense against beauty”
唐突西子 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to commit an offense against beauty”. To inappropriately elevate the plain or ugly while disparaging the exquisite or beautiful; to make an unfitting or incongruous comparison, especially one that demeans the superior by associating it with the inferior. Literally, “To offend Xi Shi (a famous ancient beauty); to be presumptuous towards Xi Shi”.
唐突西子 Pronunciation and Pinyin
唐突西子 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 唐突西子
Origin and Story of 唐突西子
In the early Eastern Jin Dynasty, Zhou Yi, a highly respected minister (Shangshu Puye), was known for his exceptional humility.
People often compared him with Le Guang, another esteemed minister (Shangshu Ling) of the time, saying that both possessed extraordinary talent and high moral standing.
Zhou Yi humbly responded, 'To compare me with him is to desecrate him; it's like painting Wu Yan (an ugly woman) and presumptuously treating Xi Shi.'
Idioms Related to 唐突西子
Synonyms of 唐突西子
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Open the tool →Questions about 唐突西子
What does 唐突西子 mean?
唐突西子 (táng tū xī zǐ) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to commit an offense against beauty”.
How do you pronounce 唐突西子?
唐突西子 is pronounced táng tū xī zǐ in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 唐突西子 literally mean?
Literally, 唐突西子 means “to offend Xi Shi (a famous ancient beauty); to be presumptuous towards Xi Shi”. It is used to mean “to commit an offense against beauty”.
Where does 唐突西子 come from?
唐突西子 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 唐突西子?
唐突：冒犯；西子：即西施，春秋时美女。冒犯了西施。比喻抬高了丑的，贬低了美的。