枕流漱石

Pronunciation: zhěn liú shù shí
Literal meaning: Pillow stream rinse stone

Origin & Usage

This idiom, literally meaning 'pillow on the stream (流) and rinse with stones (石),' originated from a story about Sun Chu during the Jin Dynasty. He intended to say 枕石漱流 (pillow on stones, rinse in the stream), describing a life of reclusion. However, he mistakenly said 枕流漱石. When corrected, he stubbornly defended his phrasing, claiming he used the stream as a pillow to 'wash his ears' from the world's noise and the stones to 'clean his teeth.' This far-fetched justification turned the phrase into an idiom for someone making excuses or being willfully obstinate. It highlights the difference between genuine reclusion (枕石漱流) and using seemingly virtuous claims to mask stubbornness or wrongdoing.

Examples

English: "The researcher lived modestly while dedicating everything to her discoveries"

Chinese: 研究员过着简朴的生活，把一切都投入到研究发现中

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