📖 Meaning
A good wife to one's husband and a good mother to one's children. This phrase describes a woman who fulfills both roles excellently, embodying the traditional Chinese ideal of womanhood. It is commonly used to praise a woman's devotion to her family.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in Lu Xun's essay "寡妇主义" (Widowism), collected in his work "坟" (The Grave), written during the early Republican era. In the essay, Lu Xun critiques the prevailing ideology in women's education of his time, noting that "贤母良妻主义" (the doctrine of the virtuous mother and good wife) was then fashionable. He uses the term to highlight how conservative educational policies sought to confine women to domestic roles rather than fostering their independence. The phrase has since entered common usage, though often in its reordered form "贤妻良母."
💡 Example Usage
她既是一位贤妻良母，又在事业上取得了不凡的成就。
She is both a good wife and loving mother, and has also achieved remarkable success in her career.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 贤妻良母
- Pinyin: xián qī liáng mǔ
- Literal Translation: virtuous wife, good mother
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4