Chinese idiom · 成语
秀色可餐
Meaning
Beauty fit to feast on; captivating charm.
Character by character
Origin and story
Poetic imageLu Ji's Jin poem Ri Chu Dong Nan Yu Xing praises a woman's radiant appearance with the longer line 秀色若可餐: her beauty seems almost something one could feast upon. It is poetic exaggeration, turning delight in looking into the satisfaction of eating, rather than a story about anyone literally consuming beauty.
The image later extended to scenery. The dictionary cites Li Zhi's Gen Yue Fu, preserved in Wang Mingqing's Song notes, where a magnificent landscape is described in comparable terms. The exact compact form appears in later literature, including Jing Hua Yuan. Today it can be an ornate compliment for either a person's appearance or a beautiful view.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
窗外青山绿水，真是秀色可餐，连简单的早餐都显得格外惬意。
The green hills and water outside are a feast for the eyes, making even a simple breakfast especially pleasant.
An ornate compliment for visual beauty; scenery use avoids an overly personal remark about appearance.