📖 Meaning
Refers to women who are heavily made up and dressed in gaudy, gorgeous attire. It is synonymous with the idiom 浓妆艳裹 and conveys an impression of lavish, showy decoration rather than natural beauty.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom does not trace back to a single identifiable literary source but belongs to a family of similar expressions describing heavy makeup and splendid dress, such as 浓妆艳裹. Such phrases have long been used in Chinese vernacular literature to depict women adorned with thick cosmetics and brightly colored garments. The wording reflects traditional aesthetic vocabulary in which 浓 (heavy/rich) and 艳 (gorgeous/vivid) describe an ornate style of personal adornment.
💡 Example Usage
晚会上几位浓妆艳服的女士格外引人注目。
At the evening party, several ladies in heavy makeup and gorgeous attire stood out noticeably.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 浓妆艳服
- Pinyin: nóng zhuāng yàn fú
- Literal Translation: heavy, makeup, gorgeous, clothing
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4