摇头晃脑 yáo tóu huàng nǎo shake one's head and sway one's head

Explanation

形容人自得其乐、洋洋得意或自我陶醉的神态。

To describe someone's self-satisfied, self-absorbed, or intoxicated demeanor.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个秀才叫张三，他自认为才华横溢，经常摇头晃脑，自顾自地吟诵诗词。一天，他去参加科举考试，路上碰到一位老农，老农见他摇头晃脑，不禁好奇地问："这位公子，你这是怎么了？"张三得意洋洋地说："我正在背诵我精心创作的诗词，准备在考试中大放异彩！"老农听了，哈哈大笑，说："我看你摇头晃脑的，恐怕连考试的题目都还没看清楚吧！"张三不服气，继续摇头晃脑地背诵，结果考试成绩很不理想。张三这才明白，真正的才华不是靠摇头晃脑来展现的，而是需要扎实的学识和真才实学。

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, yǒu gè xiù cái jiào zhāng sān, tā zì rèn wéi cái huá héng yì, jīng cháng yáotóu huàngnǎo, zì gù zì de yínsòng shī cí. yī tiān, tā qù cānjiā kējǔ kǎoshì, lù shàng pèng dào yī wèi lǎo nóng, lǎo nóng jiàn tā yáotóu huàngnǎo, bù jīn háoqí de wèn: 'zhè wèi gōng zi, nǐ zhè shì zěnme le?' zhāng sān déyì yángyáng de shuō: 'wǒ zhèngzài bèisòng wǒ jīngxīn chuàngzuò de shī cí, zhǔnbèi zài kǎoshì zhōng dà fàng yìcǎi!' lǎo nóng tīng le, hā hā dà xiào, shuō: 'wǒ kàn nǐ yáotóu huàngnǎo de, kǒngpà lián kǎoshì de tímù dōu hái méi kàn qīngchu le ba!' zhāng sān bù fú qì, jìxù yáotóu huàngnǎo de bèisòng, jiéguǒ kǎoshì chéngjī hěn bù lǐxiǎng. zhāng sān cái cèi míngbái, zhēnzhèng de cái huá bùshì kào yáotóu huàngnǎo lái zhǎnxiàn de, ér shì xūyào zhāshí de xuéshí hé zhēn cái shí xué.

In ancient China, there was a scholar named Zhang San. He considered himself exceptionally talented and often shook his head while reciting poems. One day, on his way to the imperial examination, he met an old farmer. Seeing him shake his head, the farmer curiously asked: "Sir, what's wrong?" Zhang San proudly said: "I'm memorizing my carefully crafted poems and am ready to shine in the exam!" The farmer laughed, "Your head-shaking suggests you haven't even looked at the exam questions!" Zhang San, undeterred, continued to recite, but his exam result was disappointing. He then understood that true talent is not displayed through head-shaking but solid knowledge and true ability.

Usage

多用于形容人自以为得意洋洋的神态，也可用以形容人陶醉于某事的神情。

duō yòng yú xiángróng rén zì yǐwéi déyì yángyáng de shéntài, yě kě yòng yǐ yòng yǐ xiángróng rén táozuì yú mǒu shì de shénqíng.

Mostly used to describe someone's self-satisfied expression, it can also be used to describe someone who is immersed in something.

Examples

• 他一边摇头晃脑地背诵着古诗，一边用手指在空中比划着字形。

  tā yībiān yáotóu huàngnǎo de bèisòngzhe gǔshī, yībiān yòng shǒuzhǐ zài kōngzhōng bǐhuàzhe zì xíng.

  He recited ancient poems while shaking his head and gesturing with his fingers in the air.

• 孩子们摇头晃脑地唱着儿歌，脸上洋溢着幸福的笑容。

  háizimen yáotóu huàngnǎo de chàngzhe ér gē, liǎnshang yángyìzhe xìngfú de xiàoróng.

  The children sang nursery rhymes while shaking their heads, their faces beaming with happiness.

Related Idioms

• 摇头摆尾

• 得意洋洋

Opposite Idioms

• 正襟危坐

• 一本正经