Basic Info
- Chinese Idiom: 鼻青脸肿 (Bí qīng liǎn zhǒng)
- Pinyin: bí qīng liǎn zhǒng
- Literal meaning: “Nose blue (bruised) and face swollen.”
(鼻 = nose; 青 = blue/green, here meaning bruised; 脸 = face; 肿 = swollen)
The image is of someone who has been badly beaten – their nose bruised purple and their face puffed up from injury.
Figurative Definition
It describes a face severely injured from being beaten – the visible, ugly aftermath of a physical fight or attack. It is used literally to describe someone who has been badly beaten, and figuratively to describe:
- A severe defeat or humiliation – “被打得鼻青脸肿” can mean being soundly defeated in an argument, competition, or conflict.
- A battered condition – a project, reputation, or situation that has been badly damaged.
It is usually used with a tone of sympathy for the victim or mild mockery of the defeated party – depending on context. It is colloquial and vivid, not formal.
In short: beaten black and blue – a face (or reputation) badly battered.
Cultural & Historical Origin
This idiom is a colloquial expression that appears in Qing Dynasty vernacular fiction. A commonly cited source is The Complete Biography of Jigong (《济公全传》) by Guo Xiaoting (郭小亭), Chapter 17:
“告诉你秦安，我一瞧你就有气，你叫大众打了个鼻青脸肿，你要合我生气。”
(“Let me tell you, Qin An – I get angry just looking at you. You let everyone beat you black and blue, and now you want to be angry with me?”)
The passage shows the idiom in its natural, everyday storytelling context: a character has been beaten badly by a crowd and comes away with a bruised nose and swollen face. The phrase captures the raw, physical reality of a beating – not a dignified wound, but a humiliating, visible battering.
The idiom reflects the vivid, earthy language of Chinese vernacular fiction, where physical descriptions are used for dramatic and sometimes comic effect. It is built on a simple pattern: body part + color/symptom + body part + symptom – a compact way to paint a picture of injury.
Key Lesson
Violence leaves visible marks – and so does defeat. The idiom is a blunt reminder that conflict has consequences: a beaten face, a battered reputation, a damaged situation. It teaches caution in confrontation – not every fight is worth the bruises – and compassion for those who suffer violence. It also carries a quiet warning: being “鼻青脸肿” is not a badge of honor – it is a sign that something went badly wrong.
Cultural Note
In modern Chinese, “鼻青脸肿” is a common, colloquial, and vivid idiom. It appears in:
- Describing physical fights – “他被人打得鼻青脸肿。” (“He was beaten black and blue.”)
- Sports and competition – figuratively, a team that lost badly: “被打得鼻青脸肿。”
- Argument and debate – describing a crushing verbal defeat.
- Humorous exaggeration – “摔了个鼻青脸肿” (“fell and got all banged up”).
It is informal and descriptive – it would not be used in formal writing unless quoting speech or describing a scene. It is more visual and immediate than phrases like “遍体鳞伤” (biàn tǐ lín shāng – “covered with wounds”), which is more literary and serious.
Similar English Expressions
- Black and blue – Bruised all over from being beaten – the closest and most natural equivalent.
- Beaten to a pulp – Severely beaten (informal).
- Battered and bruised – Physically injured from a fight.
- To get one’s face bashed in – A violent, colloquial equivalent (vulgar).
- A bloody nose – A minor injury, but often used to mean a defeat (less severe than 鼻青脸肿).
- To be given a black eye – Literal injury, or figurative damage to reputation.
- To be thoroughly beaten – For the figurative meaning of a crushing defeat.
- To be battered – Physically or figuratively damaged.
The closest and most natural equivalents are “black and blue,” “beaten to a pulp,” and “battered and bruised.”
In short, “鼻青脸肿” means nose bruised and face swollen – a vivid, colloquial Chinese idiom for being badly beaten, physically or figuratively, and a blunt reminder that some fights leave visible marks – and some defeats are written on the face.
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