📖 Meaning
To consider oneself aloof and above worldly concerns. It describes someone who prides themselves on being morally superior or refined, often with a sense of pretentious detachment from ordinary life. The term usually carries a mildly critical tone, implying the person's self-image is exaggerated or unwarranted.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in the Qing dynasty novel 'Twenty Years of Strange Phenomena Witnessed' (二十年目睹之怪现状) by Wu Jianren (吴趼人), a late Qing writer known for his social critique. In the novel, the author lampoons hypocrites who pretend to be morally elevated while looking down on others who pursue wealth and status. The term captures a common social attitude in late imperial China, where some scholars affected an air of disdain for material pursuits.
💡 Example Usage
他总自命清高，看不起做生意的人。
He always considers himself aloof and looks down on people in business.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 自命清高
- Pinyin: zì mìng qīng gāo
- Literal Translation: self, consider, pure, high
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4