📖 Meaning
A metaphor for someone on their deathbed who remains deeply concerned about their wives and family. The phrase derives from Cao Cao's final testament, in which he arranged for his concubines to share his incense and learn to make and sell shoes after his death. It conveys a dying person's lingering attachment to loved ones.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the 'Final Testament' (遗令) of Cao Cao (曹操), the warlord and poet of the late Eastern Han dynasty. On his deathbed, Cao Cao instructed that his remaining incense be distributed among his concubines rather than used for sacrifices, and that those with nothing to do should learn to weave and sell shoes to support themselves. The testament reveals his tender concern for his family's livelihood even as he faced death. Over time, '卖履分香' came to symbolize a dying person's lingering attachment to their spouse and children.
💡 Example Usage
他临终卖履分香，对妻儿的生活仍放心不下。
On his deathbed he still worried over his wife and children's livelihood, like Cao Cao dividing his incense.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 卖履分香
- Pinyin: mài lǚ fēn xiāng
- Literal Translation: sell, shoes, divide, incense
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4