📖 Meaning
Refers to tall, grand buildings or imposing mansions. It is equivalent to the more common idiom "高楼大厦." Used to describe luxurious, towering architecture associated with wealth and status.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom first appears in the Yuan dynasty play "刘行首" (Liu Xingshou) by the playwright Yang Xian (杨暹), in its fourth act. In the scene, a disciple remarks that the place they are in is quiet and secluded, and that he has no desire for tall mansions and great halls. The phrase has since been used to describe grand, towering buildings and the opulent lifestyle they represent.
💡 Example Usage
他虽住高堂大厦，却常念故乡的茅屋炊烟。
Though he resides in grand mansions, he often longs for the thatched cottages and chimney smoke of his hometown.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 高堂大厦
- Pinyin: gāo táng dà shà
- Literal Translation: tall, hall, large, mansion
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4