📖 Meaning
Describes someone smiling and joking in a frivolous, unserious manner. It conveys a lack of solemnity or respect, often in situations that warrant a more serious attitude. The expression paints a picture of a grinning, cheeky demeanor.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Qing dynasty novel Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦) by Cao Xueqin, specifically Chapter 30. In the scene, the character Jia Baoyu confronts someone and dismissively remarks that the listener should go ask the girls who normally joke around with him. The phrase captures Baoyu's contempt for frivolous, inappropriate behavior. Over time, it became a common expression for a cheeky, irreverent grin.
💡 Example Usage
他挨了批评还是嬉皮笑脸的，一点不认错。
Even after being criticized, he kept grinning cheekily and refused to admit his mistake.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 嬉皮笑脸
- Pinyin: xī pí xiào liǎn
- Literal Translation: playful, skin, smiling, face
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4