得意忘形
得意忘形 (dé yì wàng xíng) literally means “so pleased as to forget one's form” and expresses “become carried away by success”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: de yi wang xing, de yi wang xing,得意忘形 meaning, 得意忘形 in english
Become carried away by success
Pronunciation: dé yì wàng xíng Literal meaning: So pleased as to forget one's form
Origin & Usage
This idiom describes being so pleased (得意) that one forgets (忘) proper form or behavior (形). It warns that excessive joy or success can lead to loss of composure and judgment. The phrase appeared in texts about the dangers of hubris following achievement. Modern usage warns against letting success go to one's head, leading to inappropriate behavior or poor decisions.
Examples
English: "His success made him careless about his professional conduct."
Chinese: 成功让他得意忘形，忽视了职业操守。
Related Chinese Idioms
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yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Love ease, hate work
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Extremes lead to reversal
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Advantage from close connections
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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因果报应
yīn guǒ bào yìng
Actions have consequences
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 得意忘形 mean in English?
得意忘形 (dé yì wàng xíng) literally translates to “So pleased as to forget one's form” and is used to express “Become carried away by success”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 得意忘形 used?
Situation: His success made him careless about his professional conduct.
What is the pinyin for 得意忘形?
The pinyin pronunciation for 得意忘形 is “dé yì wàng xíng”.