📖 Meaning
This idiom describes the luxurious and extravagant lifestyle of the exploiting class. It evokes imagery of being dazzled by gold and intoxicated by ornate paper decorations, symbolizing excessive materialism and decadence.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom is a variant of the well-known phrase 纸醉金迷, which traces back to a Tang Dynasty tale about a man who decorated his room with gold-painted paper, creating such a dazzling effect that guests felt intoxicated upon entering. Over time the expression came to symbolize environments of extreme luxury and moral decay. The variant form 金迷纸碎 carries the same essential meaning, rearranging the characters while preserving the imagery of gold and paper.
💡 Example Usage
他厌倦了金迷纸碎的都市生活，选择归隐山林。
He grew tired of the decadent urban lifestyle and chose to retreat to the mountains.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 金迷纸碎
- Pinyin: jīn mí zhǐ suì
- Literal Translation: gold, bewildered, paper, shattered
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4