📖 Meaning
Having disheveled hair and a dirty face. Originally used to describe the wretched living conditions of poor people, it also refers to being unkempt and ungroomed in general.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Book of Wei (《魏书》), specifically the Biography of Feng Gui (封轨传). During the Northern Wei dynasty, Feng Gui was a scholar known for his refined appearance. He argued that a gentleman should keep his clothing neat and his gaze dignified, saying there was no need to be disheveled and dirty-faced to be considered virtuous. The phrase was thus used to question the notion that neglecting one's appearance was a sign of moral worth.
💡 Example Usage
他几天没有洗澡，蓬头垢面地出现在众人面前，让人十分惊讶。
He hadn't bathed for days and appeared before everyone with disheveled hair and a dirty face, startling everyone.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 蓬头垢面
- Pinyin: péng tóu gòu miàn
- Literal Translation: messy hair, dirty face
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4