五体投地
五体投地 (wǔ tǐ tóu dì) literally means “five parts cast to ground” and expresses “extreme admiration”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: wu ti tou di, wu ti tou di,五体投地 meaning, 五体投地 in english
Extreme admiration
Pronunciation: wǔ tǐ tóu dì Literal meaning: Five parts cast to ground
Origin & Usage
The five (五) parts of the body (体) thrown (投) to the ground (地): both knees, both elbows and the forehead, which is the full Buddhist prostration. Xuanzang describes it among the Indian forms of reverence in his account of the western regions, ranking it the highest of them. Chinese has secularised it completely and now uses it as hyperbole for admiration — 佩服得五体投地, so impressed as to be flat on the floor — and it is often faintly comic.
Examples
English: "He was so impressed by her talent that he felt utterly humbled."
Chinese: 他对她的才华感到五体投地，完全被震撼了。
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 五体投地 mean in English?
五体投地 (wǔ tǐ tóu dì) literally translates to “Five parts cast to ground” and is used to express “Extreme admiration”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 五体投地 used?
Situation: He was so impressed by her talent that he felt utterly humbled.
What is the pinyin for 五体投地?
The pinyin pronunciation for 五体投地 is “wǔ tǐ tóu dì”.