📖 Meaning
A dragon made of mud and a dog woven from straw. It describes something that has an impressive name but lacks real substance or value. The idiom is used to criticize people or things that are famous in name only but fail to live up to their reputation.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the 'Records of the Three Kingdoms' (三国志), specifically in the biography of Du Wei (杜微) in the Book of Shu. After Cao Pi usurped the throne and declared himself emperor, Du Wei used this metaphor to argue that Cao Pi's imperial title was illegitimate. He compared Cao Pi's claim to being emperor to a mud dragon and a straw dog—things that exist in name only but possess no real authority or legitimacy. The metaphor thus became a way to describe anyone or anything that is name without substance.
💡 Example Usage
他虽挂着总经理的头衔，实则毫无实权，不过是土龙刍狗罢了。
Though he holds the title of general manager, he has no real power—he is nothing more than a mud dragon and straw dog.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 土龙刍狗
- Pinyin: tǔ lóng chú gǒu
- Literal Translation: earth, dragon, straw, dog
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4