📖 Meaning
This idiom metaphorically refers to people of noble or royal birth, especially princesses and other members of the imperial family. It conveys the idea of someone who is precious, exalted, and delicately nurtured by virtue of their aristocratic lineage.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase traces back to ancient Chinese poetic imagery equating the imperial bloodline with the most precious materials — gold and jade. While its exact earliest textual source is debated, the concept became firmly established in Tang dynasty court poetry, where "金枝" and "玉叶" were used as stock metaphors for royal descendants. The compound "金枝玉叶" appeared in Song dynasty literature and later vernacular fiction to describe princesses or noblewomen. One commonly cited association is with the Tang dynasty poet Wang Jian (王建), whose "宫词" (Palace Poems) frequently employed such imagery to depict the lavishness and fragility of imperial life.
💡 Example Usage
她出身皇室，真可谓是金枝玉叶，自幼便受到最好的教养。
Born into the royal family, she is truly of noble lineage, having received the finest upbringing since childhood.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 金枝玉叶
- Pinyin: jīn zhī yù yè
- Literal Translation: golden branch, jade leaf
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4