乘龍快婿

Chinese

		to ride a dragon; to get a good son-in-law; to pass away to ride a dragon; to get a good son-in-law; to pass away; to die	promising/good son-in-law
trad. (乘龍快婿)		乘龍	快婿
simp. (乘龙快婿)		乘龙	快婿

Etymology

Based on the legend of Xiao Shi (萧史) and Nongyu (弄玉), the son-in-law and daughter of Duke Mu of Qin (秦穆公, r. 659 BC-621 BC, during China's Spring and Autumn Period. According to the legend, after the couple had retired to the seclusion of the middle peak of Mount Hua, one day Nongyu took her jade sheng (mouth organ) and mounted a colorful phoenix, and Xiao Shi took his jade xiao (vertical flute) and stepped onto a golden dragon. For a time, the dragon and the phoenix flew into the air. People at that time referred to Xiao Shi as "dragon-riding son-in-law," and this expression has evolved into a modern-day Chinese chengyu with the implied meaning of "ideal son-in-law."

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): chénglóng kuàixù
(Zhuyin): ㄔㄥˊ ㄌㄨㄥˊ ㄎㄨㄞˋ ㄒㄩˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): sing⁴ lung⁴ faai³ sai³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: chénglóng kuàixù
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄥˊ ㄌㄨㄥˊ ㄎㄨㄞˋ ㄒㄩˋ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chernglong kuayshiw
  - Tongyong Pinyin: chénglóng kuàisyù
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ lʊŋ³⁵ kʰwaɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕy⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: sing⁴ lung⁴ faai³ sai³
  - Yale: sìhng lùhng faai sai
  - Cantonese Pinyin: sing⁴ lung⁴ faai³ sai³
  - Guangdong Romanization: xing⁴ lung⁴ fai³ sei³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɪŋ²¹ lʊŋ²¹ fäːi̯³³ sɐi̯³³/

Idiom

乘龍快婿

ideal or excellent son-in-law