📖 Meaning
Literally meaning that a mere breath or light touch could break it. It describes skin—especially facial skin—as being so delicate, fine, and tender that it seems it would burst at the slightest puff or tap. The idiom is commonly used to praise exceptionally smooth and youthful complexion.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Qing dynasty novel Qilu Yuan (《歧路灯》) by Li Lüyuan, specifically in its seventy-seventh chapter. In the original passage, a character's face is described as fair as a white snowball, flushing with the color of peach blossoms, and so delicate that it seemed it could be broken by a breath or a flick—'真乃吹弹得破.' The expression has since become a classical poetic descriptor for flawlessly smooth skin.
💡 Example Usage
她那吹弹得破的肌肤令在场的宾客赞叹不已。
Her skin, so delicate it seemed it could break at a breath, drew admiration from all the guests present.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 吹弹得破
- Pinyin: chuī tán dé pò
- Literal Translation: blow, flick, can, break
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4