📖 Meaning
Describes writing or speech that is so plain and accessible that even an uneducated elderly woman can understand it. The phrase originates from a story about the Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi, who read his poems to old women and revised any parts they could not grasp. It praises clarity, simplicity, and broad comprehensibility in expression.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom traces to a story recorded in the Song dynasty work Lengzhai Yehua (Cold Studio Night Talks) by the monk Huihong. According to the anecdote, the renowned Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi (courtesy name Letian) would read each newly composed poem aloud to an elderly woman. If she understood it, he would record the poem as finished; if she did not, he would revise it until she could. This practice reflected Bai Juyi's belief that good poetry should be accessible to ordinary people rather than only to the educated elite.
💡 Example Usage
这篇文章语言朴实，老妪能解，非常适合初学者阅读。
This article is written in plain language that even an old woman could understand, making it perfect for beginners.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 老妪能解
- Pinyin: lǎo yù néng jiě
- Literal Translation: old, woman, can, understand
- Category: Clarity
- Characters: 4