东施效颦 Dōng Shī Xiào Pín Dong Shi's imitation

Explanation

这个成语比喻不顾自身条件，盲目地模仿别人，结果不但没有达到预期效果，反而弄巧成拙，适得其反。

This idiom is used to describe someone who blindly imitates others without considering their own abilities and conditions, resulting in not only failing to achieve the desired effect but also making a mess of things.

Origin Story

传说春秋时期，越国美女西施生性善良，美丽动人，但由于患有心痛的毛病，经常用手捂着胸口，皱着眉头，看起来楚楚可怜，十分惹人怜爱。西施的邻居，有个相貌丑陋的女人叫东施，她看到西施的样子，就模仿西施用手捂着胸口，皱着眉头，结果东施长得本来就很丑，现在又学西施的样子，看起来更加丑陋，人们见了都觉得十分可笑，于是就用“东施效颦”来比喻那些没有头脑，盲目地模仿别人的人。

chuán shuō chūn qiū shí qī, yuè guó měi nǚ xī shī shēng xìng shàn liáng, měi lì dòng rén, dàn yóu yú huàn yǒu xīn tòng de máo bìng, jīng cháng yòng shǒu wǔ zhe xiōng kǒu, zhòu zhe méi tóu, kàn qǐ lái chǔ chǔ kě lián, shí fēn rě rén lián ài. xī shī de lín jū, yǒu gè xiāng mào chǒu lòu de nǚ rén jiào dōng shī, tā kàn dào xī shī de yàng zi, jiù mó fǎng xī shī yòng shǒu wǔ zhe xiōng kǒu, zhòu zhe méi tóu, jié guǒ dōng shī zhǎng de běn lái jiù hěn chǒu, xiàn zài yòu xué xī shī de yàng zi, kàn qǐ lái gèng jiā chǒu lòu, rén men jiàn le dōu jué de shí fēn kě xiào, yú shì jiù yòng “dōng shī xiào pín” lái bǐ yù nà xiē méi yǒu tóu nǎo, míng mù de mó fǎng bié rén de rén.

It is said that during the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a beautiful woman named Xi Shi in the Kingdom of Yue. She was kind and had a charming beauty, but she suffered from heart pain and often put her hand on her chest and frowned, which made her look very lovable. Xi Shi's neighbor, an ugly woman named Dong Shi, saw her appearance and tried to imitate Xi Shi by putting her hand on her chest and frowning. However, Dong Shi was naturally ugly, and when she tried to imitate Xi Shi, she looked even uglier. People found it ridiculous and started using the expression "Dong Shi Xiaopin" to describe people who blindly imitate others without thinking.

Usage

这个成语用来讽刺那些不顾自身条件，盲目地模仿别人的人。

zhè ge chéng yǔ yòng lái fěng cì nà xiē bù gù zì shēn tiáo jiàn, míng mù de mó fǎng bié rén de rén.

This idiom is used to ridicule those who blindly imitate others without considering their own abilities and conditions.

Examples

  • 模仿别人一定要选择好的方面，不要东施效颦，弄巧成拙。

    mó fǎng bié rén yī dìng yào xuǎn zé hǎo de fāng miàn, bù yào dōng shī xiào pín, nòng qiǎo chéng zhuō.

    When imitating others, one should choose the good aspects, and should not imitate others blindly and make a mess of things.

  • 他模仿老师的讲课方式，结果东施效颦，效果很差。

    tā mó fǎng lǎo shī de jiǎng kè fāng shì, jié guǒ dōng shī xiào pín, xiào guǒ hěn chà.

    He imitated the teacher's lecture style, but he ended up imitating poorly and the effect was very bad.

  • 学习别人的优点，但不要东施效颦，要根据自身的特点和情况来学习。

    xué xí bié rén de yōu diǎn, dàn bù yào dōng shī xiào pín, yào gēn jù zì shēn de tè diǎn hé qíng kuàng lái xué xí.

    Learn from other people's strengths, but don't blindly imitate them. Learn according to your own characteristics and circumstances.

Related Idioms

  • 邯郸学步

  • 照猫画虎

  • 生搬硬套

Opposite Idioms

  • 独辟蹊径

  • 标新立异

  • 另辟蹊径