# 倾国倾城

qīng guó qīng chéng

Be extraordinarily beautiful

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Overturn a state and a city

**Traditional Chinese:** 傾國傾城

**Register:** Admiring · literary

[Perspective](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/perspective)

## When to use it

Use as extravagant literary praise of beauty.

Traditionally gendered and exaggerated; avoid casual objectification.

## Understanding the expression

The imagined beauty is powerful enough to unsettle whole cities and states. Modern use keeps the extravagant praise without asserting literal political destruction. It most often describes a woman in poetry, fiction, or stylized admiration. The wording can sound old-fashioned or objectifying in ordinary conversation. Beauty is the phrase's focus, not character or ability, so it should not replace a fuller description of a real person's accomplishments and qualities.

## Examples

小说把女主角写得倾国倾城。

### Traditional Chinese

小說把女主角寫得傾國傾城。

xiǎo shuō bǎ nǚ zhǔ jué xiě dé qīng guó qīng chéng 。

The novel portrays the heroine as extraordinarily beautiful.

戏服与灯光衬出她倾国倾城的美。

### Traditional Chinese

戲服與燈光襯出她傾國傾城的美。

xì fú yǔ dēng guāng chèn chū tā qīng guó qīng chéng de měi 。

Costume and lighting enhance her breathtaking beauty.

诗中赞她倾国倾城。

### Traditional Chinese

詩中贊她傾國傾城。

shī zhōng zàn tā qīng guó qīng chéng 。

The poem praises her extraordinary beauty.

画中女子虽被称为倾国倾城，神情却很忧伤。

### Traditional Chinese

畫中女子雖被稱為傾國傾城，神情卻很憂傷。

huà zhōng nǚ zǐ suī bèi chēng wéi qīng guó qīng chéng ， shén qíng què hěn yōu shāng 。

The painting's celebrated beauty looks deeply sad.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%82%BE%E5%9C%8B%E5%82%BE%E5%9F%8E)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=509&webMd=1&la=0)

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