拈花惹草 flirt around
Explanation
比喻到处留情,多指男女间的挑逗引诱。
It means flirting with many people, mostly referring to teasing and seduction between men and women.
Origin Story
话说贾府的贾琏,是个好色之徒,家中妻妾成群,却依然不安分。一日,王熙凤去娘家省亲,贾琏独守空房,心痒难耐。他想起府中一个厨娘,模样俏丽,风流成性,便动了心思。贾琏暗中派人去试探厨娘,厨娘也早已暗恋贾琏,两人一拍即合,私下里勾搭成奸。此事东窗事发,凤姐勃然大怒,贾琏只得百般赔罪。从此以后,贾琏表面上收敛了许多,暗地里却依旧拈花惹草,乐此不疲。
It is said that Jia Lian from the Jia Mansion was a lecherous man. He had many wives and concubines at home, yet he was still restless. One day, Wang Xifeng went to her parents' home, and Jia Lian was alone at home, feeling uneasy. He remembered a kitchen maid in the mansion, pretty and flirtatious, and he had an idea. Jia Lian secretly sent someone to test the maid. The maid had already secretly fallen for Jia Lian, and the two hit it off, secretly engaging in an affair. When this matter was exposed, Feng Jie was furious, and Jia Lian had to apologize repeatedly. From then on, Jia Lian outwardly restrained himself a lot, but secretly he still flirted around, enjoying himself endlessly.
Usage
作谓语、定语;比喻到处留情
Used as predicate or attributive; describes someone who flirts with many people.
Examples
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他拈花惹草的行为令人不齿。
tā niān huā rě cǎo de xíngwéi lìng rén bù chǐ
His behavior of flirting with women is deplorable.
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她为人风流,喜欢拈花惹草。
tā wéi rén fēngliú, xǐhuan niān huā rě cǎo
She is a flirtatious person who likes to flirt with men.