📖 Meaning
A metaphor for outstanding young men or excellent descendants of a noble family. It originally praised the talented nephews of the illustrious Xie clan of the Eastern Jin dynasty, and is now used to commend exceptional youth.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from 'A New Account of Tales of the World' (世说新语) compiled by Liu Yiqing of the Liu Song dynasty (Southern Dynasties). Xie Daoyun, a celebrated talented woman of the Eastern Jin period and niece of the powerful minister Xie An, was so disappointed by her mediocre husband Wang Ningzhi that she returned to her parents' home in distress. When Xie An asked the reason, she lamented that her own family was full of brilliant men—uncles like 'Ada' and 'Zhonglang,' and cousins like 'Fenghu' (Xie Shao) and 'Emo' (Xie Yuan)—and she never imagined that in all the world there could be someone like her husband Wang. The combined nicknames thus became a metaphor for outstanding young men of a family.
💡 Example Usage
谢家子弟个个封胡遏末，皆为青年才俊。
The young men of the Xie family are all outstanding talents, every one of them brilliant youth.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 封胡遏末
- Pinyin: fēng hú è mò
- Literal Translation: Fenghu and Emo (nicknames of the Xie nephews Xie Shao and Xie Yuan)
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4