趾高氣揚

Chinese

		sole of the foot	high; tall	gas; air; smell gas; air; smell; weather; vital breath; to make someone angry; to get angry; to be enraged	hurl; to raise; to scatter
trad. (趾高氣揚)		趾	高	氣	揚
simp. (趾高气扬)		趾	高	气	扬
alternative forms		足高氣揚／足高气扬
Literally: “to walk with a high-stepping gait and look proud”.

Etymology

From the book Zuozhuan:

莫敖必敗。舉趾高，心不固矣。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]

莫敖必败。举趾高，心不固矣。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

Mò'áo bì bài. Jǔ zhǐ gāo, xīn bù gù yǐ. [Pinyin]

The Mo'ao will certainly be defeated. He walks high in his steps; ― his mind is not firm.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): zhǐgāoqìyáng

(Zhuyin): ㄓˇ ㄍㄠㄑㄧˋ ㄧㄤˊ
Cantonese (Jyutping): zi² gou¹ hei³ joeng⁴

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: zhǐgāoqìyáng
  - Zhuyin: ㄓˇ ㄍㄠㄑㄧˋ ㄧㄤˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: jhǐhgaocìyáng
  - Wade–Giles: chih³-kao¹-chʻi⁴-yang²
  - Yale: jř-gāu-chì-yáng
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jyygauchihyang
  - Palladius: чжигаоциян (čžigaocijan)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ jɑŋ³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: zi² gou¹ hei³ joeng⁴
  - Yale: jí gōu hei yèuhng
  - Cantonese Pinyin: dzi² gou¹ hei³ joeng⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: ji² gou¹ héi³ yêng⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡siː³⁵ kou̯⁵⁵ hei̯³³ jœːŋ²¹/

Idiom

趾高氣揚

(derogatory) to be on one's high horse; to be very self-righteous; to be arrogant

Synonyms

趾氣高揚／趾气高扬