📖 Meaning
A beautiful and lovable young girl. The phrase originates from the Jin dynasty poet Zuo Si's fond description of his own daughter and became a literary epithet for a charming, adorable young woman. It conveys both physical beauty and endearing innocence.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom traces to the Jin dynasty poet Zuo Si, who wrote the poem 'Jiao Nü Shi' (Poem on My Lovely Daughter), opening with the line 'In our family there is a lovely daughter, bright and fair-skinned.' Centuries later, the Tang dynasty poet Li Shangyin alluded to Zuo Si's daughter in his poem, writing 'The young son of the Ji family is still pitiable; how can one forget the lovely daughter of the Zuo family?' The expression '左家娇女' thus became a cultivated way to refer to a beautiful, cherished young girl, carrying the literary prestige of two celebrated poets.
💡 Example Usage
邻家的小姑娘宛如左家娇女，聪慧可爱，人见人夸。
The little girl next door is like a lovely daughter of a literary family—clever, adorable, and praised by everyone who meets her.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 左家娇女
- Pinyin: zuǒ jiā jiāo nǚ
- Literal Translation: Zuo, family, lovely, daughter
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4