📖 Meaning
A metaphor for talented nephews and younger descendants who bring honor and glory to their family. It pairs two classical references celebrating the excellence of younger generations within a distinguished household.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom fuses two historical allusions. "Xie's orchids" abbreviates "Xie ting lan yu" (orchids and jade trees in Xie's courtyard), referring to the gifted nephews of Eastern Jin statesman Xie An, whose young relatives were famously likened to orchids and jade trees. "Yan's cassia" comes from the Song History's biography of Dou Yi: Dou Yi and his four brothers all passed the imperial examinations, prompting official Feng Dao to write a poem for their father Dou Yujun reading "one aged spiritual cedar, five fragrant cassia branches." The five Dou brothers were celebrated as the Five Dragons of Yan Mountain (燕山五龙).
💡 Example Usage
他家子弟个个才华横溢，真可谓谢兰燕桂，光耀门楣。
Every child in his family is brilliantly talented—truly Xie's orchids and Yan's cassia, bringing glory to the household.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 谢兰燕桂
- Pinyin: xiè lán yàn guì
- Literal Translation: Xie's orchids, Yan's cassia
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4