📖 Meaning
A horse's age can be told by its teeth, so this idiom is a humble, self-deprecating way to say one has grown older without achieving anything noteworthy. It expresses regret that time has passed while one's career or studies have made no real progress.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom comes from the 'Guliang Zhuan' (《谷梁传》), a commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, in the entry for the second year of Duke Xi of Lu (僖公二年). Duke Xian of Jin (晋献公) wished to attack the state of Guo but needed passage through the state of Yu, so he bribed the Duke of Yu with a precious jade disk and a fine horse. After Jin conquered Guo, it turned back and annexed Yu as well. Upon recovering his jade disk, Duke Xian remarked, 'The jade is still the same, but the horse's teeth have grown longer.' The phrase later evolved into a metaphor for aging without accomplishment.
💡 Example Usage
回首往事，深感马齿徒增，愧对师长教诲。
Looking back on the past, I deeply feel that I have merely grown older in vain, failing to live up to my teachers' guidance.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 马齿徒增
- Pinyin: mǎ chǐ tú zēng
- Literal Translation: horse, teeth, in vain, increase
- Category: Wisdom
- Characters: 4