📖 Meaning
A minor flaw or imperfection in something that is otherwise excellent. It describes a situation where something is largely beautiful or satisfactory but has a small defect that detracts from its overall perfection.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom emerged in classical Chinese vernacular literature during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is notably used in Cao Xueqin's 'Dream of the Red Chamber' (红楼梦, c. 1791), one of China's Four Great Classical Novels, where it appears in contexts lamenting that even the most splendid things harbor small regrets. The phrase reflects a deeply rooted Chinese aesthetic and philosophical sensibility that true perfection is rare, and beauty almost always carries a trace of incompleteness.
💡 Example Usage
这部电影的画面和配乐都堪称一流，只可惜剧情稍显拖沓，真是美中不足。
The cinematography and soundtrack of this film are top-notch, but unfortunately the plot drags a bit — a real fly in the ointment.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 美中不足
- Pinyin: měi zhōng bù zú
- Literal Translation: beauty, among, not, sufficient
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4