📖 Meaning
To show off one's cleverness and act coquettishly or flirtatiously. It describes someone who deliberately displays wit and charm in a vain, attention-seeking manner. The phrase carries a derogatory tone, implying superficiality and insincerity.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in Li Dazhao's 1918 essay 'The Victory of Bolshevism,' one of the foundational texts introducing Marxist thought to China. Li Dazhao used it to criticize politicians of his era who, under the pretext of participating in World War I, engaged in opportunistic scheming and self-serving displays of cleverness rather than genuinely serving the nation. He argued that the defeat of German militarism was not the victory of such opportunistic military men and showy politicians. The idiom thus carries a strong critical connotation from its inception.
💡 Example Usage
她总喜欢在众人面前卖乖弄俏，惹人生厌。
She always loves to show off her cleverness and act coquettishly in front of others, which disgusts people.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 卖乖弄俏
- Pinyin: mài guāi nòng qiào
- Literal Translation: sell cleverness, play with prettiness
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4