📖 Meaning
Refers to the honor and prestige of receiving an official appointment, even a minor one. In imperial China, even the lowest rank of office carried social distinction and was considered a mark of distinction for one's family.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from Ming dynasty scholar Shen Defu's work 'Ye Huo Bian' (Wild Harvest), in the section on sacrificial officials for the King of Chuyang. Shen noted that the king's descendants did not even receive the honor of a single official appointment, and the sacrifices at Chuyang were merely conducted once a year by local officials. The expression was later quoted in Qing dynasty writer Wen Kang's novel 'Ernü Yingxiong Zhuan' (Tales of Heroic Sons and Daughters), where it was used to reflect on how achieving even a minor official position requires both fortune and virtue.
💡 Example Usage
他寒窗苦读十年，终得一命之荣，全家皆喜。
After ten years of diligent study, he finally obtained the honor of an official appointment, and his whole family rejoiced.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 一命之荣
- Pinyin: yī mìng zhī róng
- Literal Translation: one, appointment, 's, glory
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4