📖 Meaning
A metaphor for a minor flaw on something otherwise flawless and precious. It likens a small blemish to a fly landing on white jade — the defect exists but does not diminish the inherent value of the whole. It conveys that perfection is rarely absolute.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from a poem by the Tang dynasty poet Mou Rong (牟融), titled 'To a Friend in Yongping' (寄永平友人), the second of two poems. The line reads: 'A fly spotting jade is not really a flaw; a pearl lost in the vast sea is lamented by the world.' Mou Rong used the image of a fly tainting jade to express that a small imperfection does not truly mar something of great worth, while also lamenting that exceptional talent often goes unrecognized, like a pearl lost in the ocean.
💡 Example Usage
这篇论文虽有一处小疏漏，但不过是青蝇点玉，无损其整体价值。
Though the paper has one minor oversight, it is merely a fly on jade, doing no harm to its overall value.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 青蝇点玉
- Pinyin: qīng yíng diǎn yù
- Literal Translation: green fly, spots, jade
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4