傾城

See also: 倾城

Chinese
 
to overturn; to collapse; to lean
to overturn; to collapse; to lean; to tend; to incline; to pour out
 city walls; city; town
trad. (傾城) 傾 城
simp. (倾城) 倾 城

Etymology

For the figurative senses, see 傾國傾城／倾国倾城 (qīngguóqīngchéng).

Pronunciation

Verb

傾城

  1. (literary) to make a city or state collapse

Derived terms

Adjective

傾城

  1. (literary, figurative, of a woman) drop-dead gorgeous; extremely beautiful (and having the potential of bringing about the downfall of an empire)

Noun

傾城

  1. (literary, figurative) drop-dead gorgeous woman; beauty who could drive a man to distraction (and bring about the downfall of an empire)
  2. (literary) the entire city; all over the place

Descendants
Sino-Xenic (傾城):
  • → Japanese: 傾城(けいせい) (keisei)
  • → Korean: 경성(傾城) (gyeongseong)
  • → Vietnamese: khuynh thành (傾城)

Japanese
Kanji in this term
傾 城
けい
Grade: S		 せい
Grade: 4
kan’on

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 傾城.

Noun

傾(けい)城(せい) • (keisei) 

  1. (idiomatic) a very beautiful woman (Compare the English term femme fatale.)
    傾城(けいせい)の美人(びじん)
    keisei no bijin
    a castle-toppling beauty
  2. (idiomatic) courtesan

Synonyms
  • (beautiful woman): 傾城傾国(けいせいけいこく) (keiseikeikoku)

References
  • Kōjien, 5th edition, Iwanami Shoten Publishing, Tōkyō.
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