📖 Meaning
This idiom describes someone whose bad reputation has spread far and wide. It is used to characterize a person or entity notorious for their wicked or disgraceful deeds, known widely for all the wrong reasons.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom does not trace back to a specific classical text or historical anecdote, but rather crystallized from common Chinese vernacular usage over centuries. The two core characters 臭 (foul-smelling) and 名 (name/reputation) have long been paired in Chinese to denote an ill name, while 远扬 (spreading far) emphasizes the wide dissemination of that disgrace. The phrase gained standardization in modern Chinese as a fixed four-character expression describing notoriety. It is commonly applied to war criminals, corrupt officials, and notorious evildoers whose infamy transcends local boundaries.
💡 Example Usage
那个贪官因贪污受贿而臭名远扬，百姓无不痛恨。
That corrupt official became notorious far and wide for embezzlement and bribery, and the common people all despised him.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 臭名远扬
- Pinyin: chòu míng yuǎn yáng
- Literal Translation: stinky, name, far, spread
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4