扬眉吐气 (yáng méi tǔ qì) — to feel proud and elated (after overcoming difficulties or humiliation)

Definition

A vivid idiom meaning to feel proud and elated after finally overcoming hardship or humiliation — literally 'raise the eyebrows and exhale,' capturing relief and restored dignity.

verb
to feel proud and elated (after overcoming difficulties or humiliation)

Examples

  • ，扬眉吐气。
    Zhè cì bǐ sài yíng le, tā zhōng yú yáng méi tǔ qì le.
    Winning this competition, he finally felt proud and relieved.
  • ，扬眉吐气，。
    Jīng guò duō nián fèn dòu, tā zhōng yú yáng méi tǔ qì, dāng shàng le jīng lǐ.
    After years of hard work, she finally felt proud and became a manager.
  • 扬眉吐气。
    Guó zú chū xiàn de xiāo xi ràng quán guó rén mín yáng méi tǔ qì.
    The news of the national football team advancing made the whole country feel proud and elated.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

扬眉raise the brows
扬yángraise眉méibrow
动宾Verb + object
吐气exhale resentment
吐tǔexhale气qìresentment
动宾Verb + object

扬眉 lifts the brows in pride, and 吐气 releases pent-up resentment, together giving elation after humiliation.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 揚; 扬 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng揚
Same sound today

The traditional form 揚 uses 手 to show a hand-related action and 昜 to give the sound; the simplified 扬 is a later abbreviation.

Open 扬 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

眉 originally showed 𠃜, hair, above 目, an eye.

Open 眉 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
土
土tǔ吐tǔ
Same sound today

吐 pairs 口, the mouth, with 土, which gives the sound.

Open 吐 →

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 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

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