📖 Meaning
This idiom literally describes someone with a small, pointed head like a roe deer and small, round eyes like a rat. It is used to describe a person with an ugly appearance and a shifty, sly expression.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Old Book of Tang (旧唐书), in the biography of Li Kui (李揆), a Tang dynasty official known for his refined appearance. When evaluating candidates for office, Li Kui reportedly dismissed those with unpleasant features, remarking that men of distinguished bearing were passed over while those with the look of a deer-head and rat-eyes sought official positions. The phrase thus became a derogatory description of people deemed untrustworthy or base in appearance.
💡 Example Usage
那獐头鼠目的小人，素日惯会当面奉承，背后使绊。
That sly, rat-faced fellow is accustomed to flattering people to their faces while scheming behind their backs.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 獐头鼠目
- Pinyin: zhāng tóu shǔ mù
- Literal Translation: roe deer head, rat eyes
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4