Definition
顾影 literally means 'to look back at one's own shadow', derived from the classical idiom 顾影自怜 ('to look at one's own reflection and pity/admire oneself; narcissism'). As a verb-object compound (离合词), it describes excessive self-admiration or vanity. In modern Chinese, it carries a critical tone, often used in literary or formal contexts to label someone as self-absorbed. Although separable in theory (顾过影, 顾一下影), the undivided form is far more common.
v.o.
to be narcissisticto have an inflated opinion of oneself
Examples
- 顾影，。Tā zhěngtiān gù yǐng, tīng bú jìn yí jù pīpíng.He spends all day admiring himself and can't take a single piece of criticism.
- 顾影。Zhè zhǒng gù yǐng de xíguàn huì ràng rén yuè lái yuè gūdān.This habit of narcissism will make a person more and more lonely.
- 顾影，。Tā tài gù yǐng le, lián jìngzi dōu yào fǎnfù zhào.He's so narcissistic that he has to keep looking in the mirror over and over.
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