📖 Meaning
A classical Chinese idiom meaning to play music and sing. The imagery evokes a rustic, intimate form of musical expression—blowing leaves as instruments and chewing flower petals—symbolizing lyrical artistry and poetic sentiment.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from a preface to the poem 'Liu Zhi' (柳枝) by the Tang dynasty poet Li Shangyin (李商隐). The preface describes Liu Zhi, a woman of Luoyang, who played music and sang in a delicate, haunting manner—blowing leaves and chewing petals, tuning strings and pipes, performing melodies of vast seas and winds. The phrase came to represent the act of playing music and singing with artistic feeling.
💡 Example Usage
古代女子闲时常吹叶嚼蕊，自得其乐。
In ancient times, women in their leisure would play leaves and sing, finding joy in the simple pleasure.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 吹叶嚼蕊
- Pinyin: chuī yè jiáo ruǐ
- Literal Translation: blow leaf, chew stamen
- Category: Skill
- Characters: 4