📖 Meaning
Literally meaning a horse or an ox wearing human clothes. It is a metaphor for a person who lacks manners and does not understand etiquette or propriety. It can also refer to a well-dressed person who is morally bankrupt, akin to a beast in human clothing.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from a poem by the Tang dynasty scholar Han Yu, titled 'Fu Reading in the Southern City' (《符读书城南》). In the poem, Han Yu writes that a person who does not understand both ancient and modern knowledge is like a horse or ox wearing human garments. The lines critique those who, despite appearing civilized on the outside, lack the inner cultivation and moral understanding that education and learning provide. Han Yu used this vivid image to urge his son to study diligently and not become someone undeserving of human dignity.
💡 Example Usage
此人虽衣着华贵却毫无礼义，诚马牛襟裾之辈。
Though dressed in finery, this person is utterly devoid of courtesy and righteousness—truly a beast in human clothing.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 马牛襟裾
- Pinyin: mǎ niú jīn jū
- Literal Translation: horse, cow, lapel, skirt
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4