纸醉金迷

紙醉金迷
zhǐzuì-jīnmí
idiom #38,952

Meanings

  1. 1 a life of luxury and dissipation
  2. 2 intoxicated by paper and gold
  3. 3 decadent luxury

Examples

HSK 7-9
Tā chénmí yú zhǐzuì-jīnmí de shēnghuó, huīhuò le quánbù jiāchǎn.
He was addicted to a life of decadent luxury and squandered his entire family fortune.
HSK 7-9
Shànghǎi tān de yèshēnghuó zhǐzuì-jīnmí, chōngmǎn yòuhuò.
The nightlife of the Shanghai Bund is dazzling and decadent, full of temptations.

Tips

history
From the Song-era 清异录 by Tao Gu: a doctor named Meng Fu had a small room lined with gold foil and glittering paper; visitors said staying there made them 金迷纸醉 - dazed by gold, drunk on paper.
register
Strongly negative connotation. Implies moral decay and wasteful extravagance, not just wealth. Never use it approvingly.

Stroke Order

纸 zhǐ
醉 zuì
金 jīn
迷 mí