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东施效颦
In the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a beauty in the State of Yue called Xishi. She often suffered from pains in her chest, and so she would often walk around doubled over and with her brows knitted. There was an ugly girl in the village called Dongshi who envied Xishi. Striving to emulate Xishi, she imitated her stoop, knitting her brows at the same time. She thought that this made her elegant, but in fact it only made her more ugly.
Later this idiom came to be used to indicate improper imitation that produces the reverse effect.
Meaning: 效：仿效；颦：皱眉头。比喻胡乱模仿，效果极坏。
Context: 《庄子·天运》：“故西施病心而矉其里，其里之丑人见而美之，归亦捧心而矉其里。其里之富人见之，坚闭门而不出；贫人见之，絜妻子而去之走。”
Example: 若真也葬花，可谓“～”了，不但不为新奇，而且更是可厌。 ◎清·曹雪芹《红楼梦》第三十回
Synonyms: 邯郸学步、照猫画虎、生搬硬套、亦步亦趋
Antonyms: 独辟蹊径、标新立异、自我作古、择善而从
Grammar: 主谓式；作谓语、宾语、定语；含贬义
