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Can anyone explain the two idioms below?

PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 11:36 am
by david
1. 抛 绣 球

2. 戴 绿 帽

Re: Can anyone explain the two idioms below?

PostPosted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 10:45 am
by hantze
戴 绿 帽 and 抛 绣 球 are not idioms. They are word phrases.

戴 绿 帽 is an euphemism, a name for someone whose wife is having affair with some other man. The following is a quote about the story of how this phrase comes about.

绿帽子,从事贱业的标志色,后演变为专门用来指妻子有不贞行为的男人。古代汉民族是重色彩的民族。汉武帝之后,随着儒家礼乐制度的建立,服饰的尚色制度也逐渐建立起来,服饰的颜色成为区别贵贱、尊卑的一种手段。唐代官制规定,六品、七品官着绿服,八品、九品官穿青服。白居易被贬为江州郡司马,官列九品,所以,《琵琶行》诗中用“青衫”代称。他的《忆微之》诗云:“折腰俱老绿衫中”形容仕途坎坷,人老白首仍屈身于低微的绿衫行列中。元明两代,乐人、妓女必须着绿服、青服、绿头巾以标志所从事的贱业。
  《元典章》规定:娼妓之家长和亲属男子裹着青头巾。由此,“青头巾”就与娼妓之男性亲属有了联系。由于青、绿二色比较接近,又同属贱色,人们习惯于说“绿头巾”。由于绿色与娼妓有关,后来,“绿头巾”专用来指妻子有不贞行为的男人,并演变成了“绿帽子”。



抛 绣 球 is a tradition for some girls of some ethnic groups to select their mates by throwing an embroidered silk ball. They will marry the man who catches the ball. The following is the story about how this phrase comes about.

在古代,有些地方有一个风俗,当姑娘到了婚嫁的年龄,就预定于某一天,这一天一般是正月十五或八月十五。让求婚者集中在绣楼之下,姑娘抛出一个绣球,谁得到这个绣球,谁就可以成为这个姑娘的丈夫。当然,姑娘一般会看准意中人,把绣球抛到他身上,以便他捡到。

Re: Can anyone explain the two idioms below?

PostPosted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 9:52 pm
by david
Thanks a lot.