侧目而视

cè mù ér shì

  • Meaning

    Literal

    To look askance at someone

    Usage

    To look askance at someone, particularly out of fear or indignation

  • Connotation

    Neutral

  • Usage Examples

    而且这三位候选人都愿意核准使用武力,这无疑会令许多欧洲人对其侧目而视 | Érqiě zhè sān wèi hòuxuǎnrén dōu yuànyì hézhǔn shǐyòng wǔlì, zhè wúyí huì lìng xǔduō ōuzhōurén duì qí cèmù‘érshì
    In addition, these three candidates are all willing to authorize the use of force. This will undoubtedly make many Europeans regard them with trepidation
    [Source]

    平民百姓对达官贵人常常是侧目而视 | Píngmínbǎixìng duì dáguān-guìrén chángcháng shì cèmù'érshì
    Commoners often look askance at government officials and nobility with fear and indignation
    [Source]

  • Equivalents

    English

    None

    Chinese

    None

  • Entry Notes

    苏秦 (Sū Qín) was one of the leading advocates of the School of Diplomacy (纵横家, zōng héng jiā), the other being 张仪 (Zhàng Yí). The policies of the School of Diplomacy are too complicated to explain properly here, but to overgeneralize, they touched on various regional alliances with and against the kingdom of 秦国 (Qín Guó)

  • Origin

    《战国策》(Zhàn Gúo Cè, Strategies of the Warring States), a work which chronicled the Warring States Period (475 - 220 BC)

  • Story

    During the Warring States period (战国时期 | zhàn quó shí qī | 475 - 220 BC), the famous strategist 苏秦 (Sū Qín) traveled to the kingdom of 秦国 (Qín Guó) to promote the policies of the School of Diplomacy. However, he was unsuccessful, and when he returned home destitute, his family started to look down on him. His wife ignored him, and his sister-in-law even refused to cook for him.

    One year later, 苏秦 returned to 秦国. This time, his policies resonated with a king, and he was granted an important government rank. When he saw his family again, his wife didn't dare to look at him directly, and his sister-in-law sank to the ground and begged for forgiveness

  • 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
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    • 汉语大词典[x]
    • 语文米[x]