东施效颦 – Dong Shi Xiao Pin – Blindly Imitating

Chengyu

东施效颦 – dōng shī xiào pín

Chinese Character Break Down

东施 – Dong Shi (name of a person)
效 – imitate
颦 – frown

东施效颦: Dong Shi imitates frown

Idiom Meaning

Copying someone’s action to benefit from it, but end up with the negative result. Blindly imitating someone.

Chengyu Examples

他这种东施效颦的做法使得同事背后讥笑他。
tā zhèzhǒng dōngshīxiàopínde zuòfǎ shǐde tóngshì bèihòu jīxiào tā.
This blind copying of his got his colleagues to laugh at him behind his back.

好好考虑吧，你的专业里很容易犯东施效颦一样的错误。
hǎohāo kǎolǜ ba, nǐ de zhuányè lǐ hěn róngyì fàn dōngshīxiàopín yíyàngde cuòwù.
Consider it well, in your business it’s very easy to fall flat on your face if you just blindly copy someone.

Chengyu Story and Background

In the Spring and Autumn period, a beauty by the name of Xi Shi lived in the State of Yue. Even though she only dressed modestly, everyone admired her whenever she left the house. Another girl in the village, Dong Shi, was very ugly – no matter what hair styles she tried and what clothes she wore, she never got the attention Xi Shi got.

One day, Xi Shi’s chest hurt and she frowned and held her hand by her breast to ease the pain. All the people in the village were worried about her and gave her even more attention. Dong Shi noticed that, got even more jealous and started doing the same. But when the people in the village saw the ugly Dong Shi frowning and holding her chest in pain, the mere sight got them so sick that they ran home and locked their doors tightly.