不胜衣

不勝衣
bùshèngyī
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 too frail to bear the weight of one's own clothes
  2. 2 extremely thin and weak
  3. 3 (also) modestly self-effacing

Examples

Dà bìng zhīhòu, tā shòu de bùshèngyī.
After the serious illness, he was so thin he could barely carry the weight of his own clothes.
Shū zhōng miáoxiě nà wèi shūshēng ruò bùshèngyī, què cáiqì guòrén.
The book describes the scholar as frail to the point his robes seemed too heavy, yet exceptionally talented.

Tips

history
From 《荀子·》: a description of the Duke of She, 公子, as so slight-bodied that his robes seemed about to slip off. Literary register — mostly seen in classical-flavored writing.

Stroke Order

shèng