📖 Meaning
To be so deeply moved by someone's magnanimity and virtue that one feels intoxicated without realizing it, much like drinking fine wine. It describes the natural, effortless charm of a person of great character whose company uplifts and captivates others.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from an annotation by Pei Songzhi in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, citing the Jiang Biao Zhuan. It describes the experience of befriending Zhou Yu, the famed general of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. Cheng Pu, an older general who initially resented Zhou Yu, remarked that associating with Zhou Yu was like drinking rich, mellow wine — one becomes intoxicated by his grace before even realizing it. The phrase celebrates Zhou Yu's broad-mindedness and personal magnetism.
💡 Example Usage
与他相处如饮醇自醉，令人流连忘返。
Spending time with him is like drinking fine wine and becoming naturally intoxicated — it makes one reluctant to leave.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 饮醇自醉
- Pinyin: yǐn chún zì zuì
- Literal Translation: drink, pure wine, self, intoxicated
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4