唐突西施 — “Impudent to Xishi”
唐突西施 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to disparage or offend something beautiful or excellent through an inappropriate comparison or disrespectful treatment”. Literally, “Impudent to Xishi”.
唐突西施 Pronunciation and Pinyin
唐突西施 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 唐突西施
Origin and Story of 唐突西施
In the early Eastern Jin Dynasty, Zhou Yi, a highly respected official serving as Shàngshū Púyè, was known for his profound humility.
People often spoke of him in the same breath as Le Guang, another distinguished official, both being praised for their exceptional talent and noble character. However, Zhou Yi, with characteristic modesty, once remarked, 'To compare me with him is to profane him; it is like painting Wu Yan (an infamously ugly woman) and impudently diminishing the beauty of Xishi (a legendary beauty).'
This historical anecdote gave rise to the idiom.
Idioms Related to 唐突西施
Synonyms of 唐突西施
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Open the tool →Questions about 唐突西施
What does 唐突西施 mean?
唐突西施 (táng tū xī shī) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to disparage or offend something beautiful or excellent through an inappropriate comparison or disrespectful treatment”.
How do you pronounce 唐突西施?
唐突西施 is pronounced táng tū xī shī in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 唐突西施 literally mean?
Literally, 唐突西施 means “Impudent to Xishi”. It is used to mean “to disparage or offend something beautiful or excellent through an inappropriate comparison or disrespectful treatment”.
Where does 唐突西施 come from?
唐突西施 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to the modern era. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 唐突西施?
唐突：冒犯。西施：春秋时美女，冒犯了西施。比喻为了突出丑的，而贬低了美的。亦作“唐突西子”。