蓬荜生辉 (péng bì shēng huī) — (idiom, humble expression) your presence brings light to my humble dwelling; an honor to have you here

Definition

A formal, humble idiom: hosting a distinguished guest honors the host's modest home. Used only when speaking to or about someone whose presence is prestigious.

idiom
(idiom, humble expression) your presence brings light to my humble dwellingan honor to have you here

Examples

  • ，蓬荜生辉。
    Nín néng lái cān jiā wǒ de shēng rì wǎn huì, zhēn shì péng bì shēng huī.
    It's truly an honor that you can come to my birthday party.
  • ，蓬荜生辉。
    Jīn tiān gè wèi zhuān jiā guāng lín hán shè, péng bì shēng huī.
    Today, with all you experts visiting my humble home, it's a great honor.
  • 蓬荜生辉。
    Nín de dào lái ràng wǒ men gōng sī péng bì shēng huī.
    Your arrival brings great honor to our company.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

蓬荜humble dwelling
蓬péngbrush荜bìbramble
联合Side by side
生辉emit brilliance
生shēngemit辉huībrilliance
动宾Verb + object

蓬荜 (humble dwelling) and 生辉 (emit brilliance) together say a guest's presence brings light.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎovegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
逢
逢féng蓬péng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蓬 pairs 艸 (vegetation) with 逢, which gives the sound.

Open 蓬 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 輝; 辉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
光光guānglight; bright
Sound part声符shēngfú
軍
軍jūn輝huī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輝 uses 光, meaning light; bright, and 軍 to give its sound; the simplified 辉 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 辉 →

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