4 characters Idiom and proverb 21 799

Progress in Chinese starts with characters, then words, finally idioms. Here’s a free look at 「黃台之瓜」 and its explanation.

The idiom being introduced now is 「黃台之瓜」. Below, you’ll find its meaning and usage examples.

Huangtai: refers to “Huangtai Guaci”, written by Li Xian of the Tang Dynasty, hoping to use it to inspire Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian not to depose the crown prince again. A metaphor for something that cannot be picked again.

The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :

huáng tái zhī guā

while its Cantonese pinyin is :

wong4 toi2/toi4 ji1 gwa1

The sheer number of Chinese idioms and their varied meanings make them fascinating to study. Let these materials assist you as you advance your Chinese skills and understanding.