Definition
评头论足 is a four-character idiom that literally means 'to discuss the head and comment on the feet'. It originally referred to making frivolous or critical remarks about a woman's appearance, but has broadened to mean any kind of nitpicking or finding fault with someone or something. It carries a mildly negative tone, implying the criticism is superficial or overly picky. You'll often see it in the pattern 对…评头论足 ('to make petty criticisms of...').
f.e.
to make frivolous or overly critical remarks (originally about a woman's appearance)to nitpick
Examples
- 评头论足。Tā zǒngshì xǐhuan duì biérén de chuānzhuó píng tóu lùn zú.He always likes to make petty remarks about other people's clothes.
- 评头论足，。Bú yào duì biérén de shēnghuó fāngshì píng tóu lùn zú, měi ge rén dōu yǒu zìjǐ de xuǎnzé.Don't nitpick about other people's lifestyles — everyone has their own choices.
- ，评头论足。Zhè bù diànyǐng suīrán bù wánměi, dàn yě bù gāi bèi rúcǐ píng tóu lùn zú.This movie isn't perfect, but it shouldn't be so harshly nitpicked.
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