📖 Meaning
Having a slender waist and narrow back, describing someone with a light, graceful, and handsome physique. It conveys an agile and elegant bearing, often used to depict a youthful or martial figure.
📜 Origin Story
This phrase originates from Chapter 49 of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' (红楼梦), written by Cao Xueqin during the Qing Dynasty. In the scene, the character Shi Xiangyun is described wearing a tightly bound multicolored palace sash with deer-skin boots, which makes her appear to have a bee-like waist and ape-like back, alongside a crane-like posture and mantis-like form. The imagery emphasizes her lithe, athletic, and striking figure, contrasting with typical delicate feminine descriptions of the era.
💡 Example Usage
她生得蜂腰猿背，行动间如风拂柳，煞是好看。
She had a slim waist and narrow back, moving as gracefully as a willow in the wind—a striking sight.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 蜂腰猿背
- Pinyin: fēng yāo yuán bèi
- Literal Translation: bee waist, ape back
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4