借花献佛(借花獻佛)

Pronunciation: jiè huā xiàn fó Literal meaning: Borrow flower offer Buddha

Origin & Usage

This Buddhist-influenced idiom describes borrowing flowers (花) to offer (献) to Buddha (佛), originating from Tang Dynasty temple practices where worshippers would sometimes borrow flowers from temple gardens for their offerings. The practice sparked philosophical discussions about the nature of sincere devotion versus superficial gestures. Historical texts show how it evolved to critique those who used others' resources to gain personal merit. Modern usage describes taking credit using others' resources or efforts, though not always with negative connotations – sometimes indicating clever resource utilization.

When to Use

Situation: He took credit for the team's work during the presentation

---

Discover a new Chinese idiom every day with our iOS app.