花枝招展

huāzhīzhāozhǎn

idiom #33,472

Meanings

1 dressed to the nines (of a woman)
2 gorgeously / showily dressed
3 literally: branches of flowers swaying in the breeze

Characters

to wave; to beckon

to spread out; to flutter

Examples

她打扮得花枝招展，去参加晚会。

Tā dǎbàn de huāzhīzhāozhǎn, qù cānjiā wǎnhuì.

She dressed to the nines and went to the evening party.

一群花枝招展的姑娘从街上走过。

Yī qún huāzhīzhāozhǎn de gūniang cóng jiēshang zǒuguò.

A group of dolled-up young women walked down the street.

Tips

history

First popularized in 《红楼梦》 (Dream of the Red Chamber), chapter 62, describing the maid Pingr (平儿) showing up 'dressed up like flowers swaying in the wind'. The literal image — 招展 'to flutter/wave' (of branches) — is what gives the idiom its lush, slightly showy feel.

register

Almost always describes women, and can be either admiring or faintly mocking depending on context (overdressed for the occasion). Don't apply to men.

Stroke Order

花 huā

枝 zhī

招 zhāo

展 zhǎn