東施效顰

See also: 东施效颦 and 東施傚顰

Chinese

			effect; efficacy; imitate	knit the brows
trad. (東施效顰/東施傚顰/東施效矉/東施傚矉)		東施	效/傚	顰/矉
simp. (东施效颦)		东施	效	颦

Etymology

Based on a story in "The Circling Sky", in Zhuangzi (《莊子·天運》). Xishi (西施), a famous beauty in Chinese history, often frowned because of her heart disease. The ugly Dongshi (東施) of the same village imitated Xishi to try to be as beautiful as Xishi, but in turn made herself uglier and scared away the villagers.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): dōngshīxiàopín

(Zhuyin): ㄉㄨㄥㄕㄒㄧㄠˋ ㄆㄧㄣˊ
Cantonese (Jyutping): dung¹ si¹ haau⁶ pan⁴

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: dōngshīxiàopín
  - Zhuyin: ㄉㄨㄥㄕㄒㄧㄠˋ ㄆㄧㄣˊ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: dongshyshiawpyn
  - IPA ^(key): /tʊŋ⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ pʰin³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: dung¹ si¹ haau⁶ pan⁴
  - Yale: dūng sī haauh pàhn
  - Cantonese Pinyin: dung¹ si¹ haau⁶ pan⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: dung¹ xi¹ hao⁶ pen⁴
  - IPA ^(key): /tʊŋ⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵ hɑːu̯²² pʰɐn²¹/

Idiom

東施效顰

to imitate others only to make a fool of oneself; to attempt a crude or awkward imitation

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