📖 Meaning
A metaphor for youthful beauty, originally describing the vibrant blossoms of peach and plum trees. It is most commonly used as a congratulatory phrase for weddings, praising the beauty of a young bride and groom.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase traces back to the Classic of Poetry (诗经), China's oldest collection of verse from the Zhou dynasty. Two separate poems inspired it: '桃夭' describes peach blossoms in full glory ('桃之夭夭，灼灼其华'), while '何彼秾矣' praises flowers as resplendent as peach and plum ('何彼秾矣，华如桃李'). Later generations fused these images into the idiom '夭桃秾李' to symbolize youthful beauty and marital blessings.
💡 Example Usage
婚礼上，宾客们纷纷称赞新人夭桃穠李，天作之合。
At the wedding, guests praised the newlyweds as a radiant match made in heaven.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 夭桃穠李
- Pinyin: yāo táo nóng lǐ
- Literal Translation: tender, peach, lush, plum
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4