曲高和寡
- Literal
- lofty tune, few join in the singing
- Figurative
- Said of work or ideas so refined or demanding that few people appreciate them; it can be praise, or a jab at something too highbrow.
Where does 曲高和寡 come from?
It comes from the "Reply to the King of Chu," a text attributed to the poet Song Yu. King Xiang of Chu asks him why so few people speak well of him, and Song Yu answers with a parable: a stranger was singing in Ying, the capital; when he sang the folk songs "Xiali" and "Baren," thousands joined in; with more refined pieces, fewer and fewer; with "Yangchun" and "Baixue," only a few dozen, and with the hardest music, just a handful. The loftier the tune, the fewer who join in: the crowd cannot understand the superior man. Today it is said of work or ideas too demanding for a wide audience.
Source (出处): 宋玉《对楚王问》
How is 曲高和寡 used? Two examples
- 这部电影拍得很有深度，可惜曲高和寡，票房很惨淡。
The film has real depth, but it was too highbrow for most audiences, and the box office was dismal.
- 他总觉得自己的想法曲高和寡，其实是没讲清楚。
He always assumes his ideas are too sophisticated for others to grasp, when really he just hasn't explained them clearly.
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