📖 Meaning
This idiom describes someone who is fierce, stubborn, and arrogantly disobedient, refusing to submit to authority or rules. It characterizes a person with an unruly and rebellious nature who will not be tamed or controlled. It is a variant of the more common form 桀骜不逊.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom appears in the novel 'Pursuit' (《追求》, 1928) by the prominent modern Chinese writer Mao Dun (茅盾), part of his acclaimed 'Eclipse' trilogy. In the original context, it is used to criticize students who insult their teachers and behave in an extremely rebellious manner. The character 桀 evokes King Jie of Xia (夏桀), the tyrannical final ruler of the Xia Dynasty, serving as a symbol of cruelty and defiance, while 敖 means arrogant and 驯 means tame or submissive.
💡 Example Usage
他性格桀敖不驯，从不肯向任何人低头。
He has a stubborn and rebellious nature, never willing to bow to anyone.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 桀敖不驯
- Pinyin: jié áo bù xùn
- Literal Translation: Jie (tyrant), arrogant, not, tame
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4