BeginnerChinese Idiom (成语)

叶公好龙

yè gōng hào lóng

“Lord Ye loves dragons”

Meaning: To profess love for something but actually fear it; to claim to like something but avoid it when it appears; false enthusiasm

Character-by-Character Breakdown

The Story Behind 叶公好龙

Source:《新序·杂事五》

Period:Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE)

Lord Ye and the Dragon

Lord Ye (叶公) was famous throughout the land for his love of dragons.

He decorated his entire house with dragon images - carved on hooks, chiseled on tools, painted on walls, and embroidered on fabrics.

Everywhere you looked in his house, there were dragons. He claimed to love dragons more than anything.

When the heavenly dragon heard about Lord Ye's great love for dragons, it decided to visit him personally.

The real dragon descended from the sky and peeked its head through Lord Ye's window, extending its long tail into the hall.

When Lord Ye saw the actual dragon, he was terrified. He abandoned everything and ran away in fear, his face turning pale.

The story reveals that Lord Ye didn't actually love real dragons - he only loved the image or idea of dragons, not the reality.

Original Classical Chinese

叶公子高好龙，钩以写龙，凿以写龙，屋室雕文以写龙。于是天龙闻而下之，窥头于牖，施尾于堂。叶公见之，弃而还走，失其魂魄，五色无主。是叶公非好龙也，好夫似龙而非龙者也。

How to Use 叶公好龙

This idiom is used to describe people who claim to love or support something but actually fear or avoid it when they encounter the real thing.

It emphasizes the difference between professed enthusiasm and genuine commitment.

The idiom is often used to criticize false enthusiasm or superficial interest.

When to use:

Use when someone claims to like something but avoids it when it appears
Often used to criticize false enthusiasm or superficial interest
Can be used to point out the difference between professed and real feelings

Common Mistake

Don't use this idiom for simple change of mind or legitimate fear. It specifically refers to false enthusiasm where someone claims to like something but actually fears or avoids the real thing.

Example Sentences

他说喜欢冒险，但真的遇到危险就害怕了，真是叶公好龙。

Tā shuō xǐhuan màoxiǎn, dàn zhēn de yùdào wéixiǎn jiù hàipà le, zhēn shì yè gōng hào lóng.

He says he likes adventure, but when he really encounters danger, he gets scared. This is like Lord Ye loving dragons.

很多人说喜欢挑战，但真正面对困难时却退缩了，这就是叶公好龙。

Hěnduō rén shuō xǐhuan tiǎozhàn, dàn zhēnzhèng miànduì kùnnán shí què tuìsuō le, zhè jiùshì yè gōng hào lóng.

Many people say they like challenges, but when they really face difficulties, they retreat. This is like Lord Ye loving dragons.

他声称支持改革，但改革真的来了却反对，简直是叶公好龙。

Tā shēngchēng zhīchí gǎigé, dàn gǎigé zhēn de lái le què fǎnduì, jiǎnzhí shì yè gōng hào lóng.

He claims to support reform, but when reform really comes, he opposes it. This is exactly like Lord Ye loving dragons.

Practice Writing

Generate a free printable worksheet with all 4 characters from this idiom.

Generate Worksheet (4 Characters)

Or explore each character:

叶stroke order 公stroke order 好stroke order 龙stroke order

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 叶公好龙 (yè gōng hào lóng) mean?

叶公好龙 literally means "Lord Ye loves dragons." Figuratively, it means to profess love for something but actually fear it, or to claim to like something but avoid it when it appears. It describes false enthusiasm.

What is the story behind 叶公好龙?

The idiom comes from "Xin Xu" (新序). Lord Ye decorated his entire house with dragon images, claiming to love dragons. When a real dragon visited him, he was terrified and ran away. This shows he only loved the image of dragons, not real dragons.

How do you use 叶公好龙 in a sentence?

Use 叶公好龙 when describing false enthusiasm. For example: "他说喜欢冒险，但真的遇到危险就害怕了，真是叶公好龙" (He says he likes adventure, but when he really encounters danger, he gets scared. This is like Lord Ye loving dragons).

What is the opposite of 叶公好龙?

The opposite would be idioms like 言行一致 (yán xíng yīzhì, words match actions) or 真心实意 (zhēn xīn shí yì, sincere and genuine), which emphasize genuine commitment and consistency between words and actions.

Is 叶公好龙 difficult to learn?

叶公好龙 is considered beginner-friendly. It uses relatively common characters (叶 HSK3, 公 HSK2, 好 HSK1, 龙 HSK4), has a memorable story, and the meaning is straightforward. It's one of the most commonly taught Chinese idioms.