趾高气扬 zhǐ gāo qì yáng swaggering with pride

Explanation

形容骄傲自满，得意忘形的样子。

Describes an arrogant, complacent, and self-satisfied appearance.

Origin Story

战国时期，齐国孟尝君出使楚国，受到楚王的盛情款待。楚王为了拉拢孟尝君，送给他一件珍贵的象床。然而，孟尝君的门客公孙戍却极力劝说孟尝君不要接受这件礼物。他认为这象床是楚王用来收买孟尝君的，接受了反而会让孟尝君陷入被动。孟尝君采纳了公孙戍的建议，拒绝了楚王的礼物。当公孙戍趾高气扬地走出楚王宫殿时，孟尝君心中充满了疑惑，他不知道公孙戍为何如此自信和骄傲。原来，公孙戍在拒绝礼物之前，已经预料到楚王可能会恼羞成怒，因此事先和楚国的权贵们打好了招呼，确保自己不会因此受到迫害。他正是凭借这份周密的计划和强大的实力，才能如此趾高气扬地离开楚国。

zhànguó shíqí, qí guó mèng cháng jūn chūshǐ chǔ guó, shòudào chǔ wáng de shèngqíng kuǎndài. chǔ wáng wèile lāluǒng mèng cháng jūn, sòng gěi tā yī jiàn zhēnguì de xiàng chuáng. rán'ér, mèng cháng jūn de ménkè gōngsūn shù què jí lì quánsuō mèng cháng jūn bùyào jiēshòu zhè jiàn lǐwù. tā rènwéi zhè xiàng chuáng shì chǔ wáng yòng lái shōumǎi mèng cháng jūn de, jiēshòule fǎn'ér huì ràng mèng cháng jūn xiànrù bìdòng. mèng cháng jūn cǎinà le gōngsūn shù de jiànyì, jùjué le chǔ wáng de lǐwù. dāng gōngsūn shù zhǐ gāo qì yáng de zǒuchū chǔ wáng gōngdiàn shí, mèng cháng jūn xīnzhōng chōngmǎn le yíhuò, tā bù zhīdào gōngsūn shù wèihé rúcǐ zìxìn hé jī'ào. yuánlái, gōngsūn shù zài jùjué lǐwù zhīqián, yǐjīng yùliào dào chǔ wáng kěnéng huì nǎoxiū chéngnù, yīncǐ shìxiān hé chǔ guó de quán guì men dǎ hǎo le zhāohu, quèbǎo zìjǐ bù huì yīncǐ shòudào pòhài. tā zhèngshì píngjí zhè fèn zhōumì de jìhuà hé qiángdà de shí lì, cái néng rúcǐ zhǐ gāo qì yáng de líkāi chǔ guó.

During the Warring States period, Meng Changjun, a minister from the State of Qi, was sent to the State of Chu and received warm hospitality from the King of Chu. To win over Meng Changjun, the King of Chu presented him with a precious ivory bed. However, Gongsun Shu, a retainer of Meng Changjun, strongly advised Meng Changjun not to accept the gift. He argued that the ivory bed was a bribe from the King of Chu, and accepting it would put Meng Changjun in a passive position. Meng Changjun followed Gongsun Shu's advice and refused the King's gift. As Gongsun Shu walked out of the palace with a swagger, Meng Changjun was puzzled; he didn't understand why Gongsun Shu was so confident and proud. It turned out that before rejecting the gift, Gongsun Shu had anticipated that the King of Chu might be furious, so he had made arrangements beforehand with influential figures in Chu to ensure that he would not be persecuted. It was this meticulous plan and his considerable power that allowed him to leave Chu with such arrogance.

Usage

作谓语、状语；形容骄傲自满，得意忘形的样子。

zuò wèiyǔ, zhuàngyǔ; xiángróng jiāo'ào zìmǎn, déyì wàngxíng de yàngzi

As predicate or adverbial; describes an arrogant, complacent, and self-satisfied appearance.

Examples

• 他考试得了第一名，走路时趾高气扬，十分得意。

  tā kǎoshì déle dì yī míng, zǒulù shí zhǐ gāo qì yáng, shífēn déyì.

  He got the first place in the exam, and walked with his head held high, very proud.

• 取得了成功之后，他趾高气扬地走进办公室。

  qǔdéle chénggōng zhīhòu, tā zhǐ gāo qì yáng de zǒu jìn bàngōngshì.

  After achieving success, he swaggered into the office.

• 年轻人取得了一点成绩就趾高气扬，目中无人，这是很不好的。

  niánqīngrén qǔdéle yīdiǎn chéngjì jiù zhǐ gāo qì yáng, mù zhōng wú rén, zhè shì hěn bù hǎo de。

  It's not good for young people to become arrogant and look down on others after they have achieved a little success.

Related Idioms

• 得意洋洋

• 不可一世

• 目空一切

Opposite Idioms

• 卑躬屈膝

• 谦虚谨慎

• 妄自菲薄