📖 Meaning
Originally described writing a large amount of beautiful, elegant literary compositions. The phrase comes from Tang Dynasty scholar Han Yu's praise of Liu Zongyuan's abundant and refined literary output. In later usage it sometimes took on a negative sense of talking or writing recklessly and at length.
📜 Origin Story
This phrase originates from the Tang Dynasty scholar Han Yu's elegy titled 'Elegy for Liu Zongyuan' (祭柳子厚文). Liu Zongyuan was a renowned Tang Dynasty writer and one of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song dynasties. In the elegy, Han Yu compared Liu's elegant writing to jade ornaments, writing '玉佩琼琚，大放厥辞' — praising him for composing abundantly beautiful literary works. The phrase thus began as high praise for literary talent.
💡 Example Usage
这位文豪晚年大放厥辞，留下了许多传世佳作。
In his later years, this literary master composed abundantly, leaving behind many enduring masterpieces.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 大放厥辞
- Pinyin: dà fàng jué cí
- Literal Translation: greatly, release, one's, compositions
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4