📖 Meaning
An idiom praising a woman's extraordinary beauty, comparing her face to a blooming flower and her looks to the radiant moon. It is one of the most classical and commonly used four-character descriptions of feminine beauty in Chinese literature.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase has deep classical roots and appears in various forms across Tang and Song dynasty literature. One notable early usage is found in the Yuan dynasty drama '西厢记' (The Romance of the Western Chamber) by Wang Shifu, where it is used to describe the heroine Cui Yingying's beauty. The imagery of pairing flowers and the moon as the pinnacle of natural beauty dates back even further to '楚辞' (Songs of Chu) and Tang poetry conventions, making it a longstanding literary trope rather than the invention of a single author.
💡 Example Usage
她花容月貌，才情出众，是远近闻名的才女。
With her flower-like beauty and moonlit elegance, coupled with her outstanding talent, she is a renowned scholar-beauty far and wide.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 花容月貌
- Pinyin: huā róng yuè mào
- Literal Translation: flower, appearance, moon, appearance
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4