📖 Meaning
The elephant is hunted and killed because of its precious ivory tusks. Metaphorically, it means that wealth and treasure bring disaster upon their owner. It warns that possessing valuable things can be the very cause of one's ruin.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Zuo Zhuan (《左传·襄公二十四年》), a chronicle of the Spring and Autumn period attributed to Zuo Qiuming. The original line reads, 'The elephant has tusks that destroy its body—because of its valuables' (象有齿以焚其身，贿也). It was spoken to illustrate how possessing wealth invites harm, much as the elephant perishes precisely because of its prized ivory. The metaphor has since been used to caution that riches and treasure can become a fatal liability.
💡 Example Usage
他因炫富招祸，正是象齿焚身。
He courted disaster by flaunting his wealth—a true case of the elephant perishing for its tusks.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 象齿焚身
- Pinyin: xiàng chǐ fén shēn
- Literal Translation: elephant, tusk, burn, body
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4