东施效颦

dōng shī xiào pín

  • Meaning

    Literal

    Dong Shi imitates scrunching her eyebrows

    Usage

    Refers to blindly imitating others and ending up achieving the opposite of what was intended

  • Connotation

    Negative

  • Usage Examples

    现在的人们盲目的崇拜和模仿自己的偶像,真是东施效颦,可笑之极 | Xiànzài de rénmen mángmù de chóngbài hé mófǎng zìjǐ de ǒuxiàng, zhēnshi dōngshīxiàopín, kěxiào zhī jí
    Nowadays people blindly imitate and workship their idols. It's really like Dong Shi furrowing her brow and is extremely funny
    [Source]

    做事我们要有自己的主张,东施效颦往往达不到目的的 | Zuòshì wǒmen yào yǒu zìjǐ de zhǔzhāng, dōngshīxiàopín wǎngwǎng dábùdào mùdì de
    When doing tasks, we must have our own ideas. If we blindly follow others, we are often unable to achieve our goals
    [Source]

  • Equivalents

    English

    None

    Chinese

    None

  • Entry Notes

    None

  • Origin

    《庄子》(Zhuāng Zǐ), a work written by 庄子 (Zhuāng Zǐ, the same as in the title) during the Warring States Period (475 - 221 BC)

  • Story

    During the Spring and Autumn Period (春秋时期, 770 - 476 BC), there lived a woman named 西施 (Xī Shī) who entranced everyone with her ethereal beauty. Unfortunately, she suffered from an illness, and she often went around pressing her hand to her chest and knitting her brows together in pain.

    In a neighboring village, there lived a woman named 东施 (Dōng Shī). 东施 was very ugly, and she was constantly thinking of ways to improve her appearance. One day, she saw 西施 clutching at her chest with her brow furrowed. Thinking that 西施's pained mannerisms might be the reason people thought she was beautiful, 东施 began to imitate them. Unfortunately, now when people caught sight of her, they were horrified, as not only was she still hideous, she now seemed ill and deranged as well. Whenever she approached, they drew their doors shut or quickly ran away.

  • Citations and Helpful Resources

    • 汉语成语小词典 (hànyǔ chéngyǔ xiǎo cídiǎn)
    • 现代汉语规范词典 (xiàndài hànyǔ guīfàn cídiǎn)
    • 多功能成语词典 (duō gōngnéng chéngyǔ cídiǎn)
    • 汉语大词典 (hànyǔ dà cídiǎn)
    • ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary
    • Pleco Basic Chinese-English Dictionary
    • 百度百科[x]