How to Read “顰みに倣う”
Hisomi ni narau
Meaning of “顰みに倣う”
“Imitate frowning” is a proverb that warns against the foolishness of imitating only superficial aspects without understanding the essence or reasons behind things.
This proverb critically expresses the act of observing excellent or successful people’s actions and attempting to mimic only the visible parts without considering the underlying effort, talent, or circumstances. Because the imitator doesn’t understand why that person takes such actions or what abilities and environment make it work, the result becomes comical and inappropriate.
This proverb is used when someone is engaging in easy imitation or when you want to caution against superficial mimicry. It’s also used to remind oneself that essential understanding, rather than simple imitation, is necessary when trying to learn something. Even today, this expression applies to acts of merely copying successful people’s behavioral patterns or blindly following trends.
Origin and Etymology
“Imitate frowning” originates from a historical tale called “Xi Shi Holding Her Heart” recorded in the ancient Chinese classic “Zhuangzi.” This story is about Xi Shi, a legendary beauty who is said to have actually existed during the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China.
Xi Shi was a beautiful woman from the state of Yue, whose beauty was known throughout the land. One day, Xi Shi was walking while holding her chest and frowning due to a heart condition, but even her pained expression appeared beautiful. An ugly woman from the same village who saw this thought that if she imitated Xi Shi, she too would appear beautiful. So she walked in the same manner, holding her chest and frowning, but being naturally unattractive and making such expressions only made her ugliness more pronounced.
The phrase “Imitate frowning” was born from this tale. “Frowning” means to furrow one’s brow, referring to imitating the beautiful Xi Shi’s gesture of frowning. In “Zhuangzi,” it was recorded as a lesson teaching the foolishness of imitating only the surface without understanding the essence of things, and it was transmitted to Japan from ancient times and came to be used with the same meaning.
Interesting Facts
The character “顰” (frown) is rarely used in modern times, but it remains in the word “顰蹙 (hinshuku)” meaning displeasure. The “顰” in hinshuku also means to furrow one’s brow, expressing the state of frowning in displeasure.
Xi Shi is considered one of China’s four great beauties, and “沈魚” (sinking fish) in the four-character idiom “沈魚落雁、閉月羞花” describing beautiful women refers to Xi Shi. This comes from the anecdote that when Xi Shi was doing laundry by the river, the fish were so mesmerized by her beauty that they forgot to swim and sank.
Usage Examples
- I tried copying that popular YouTuber’s project, but it was truly “Imitate frowning” – it wasn’t interesting at all
- Just copying successful companies’ systems tends to become “Imitate frowning,” so let’s first organize our own company’s issues
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the lesson of “Imitate frowning” has become increasingly important. With the spread of social media, the actions of successful people and influencers are instantly visible, and the tendency for many people to try to imitate their superficial aspects has strengthened.
Particularly notable is the phenomenon of imitating entrepreneurs’ and business people’s “success habits.” More people are copying only the lifestyles of successful people, such as waking up at 4 AM, meditation, and reading habits, but when one’s environment, values, and goals differ, the same actions can produce completely different results. This can truly be called a modern version of “Imitate frowning.”
Similarly, imitating viral posts or videos on social media follows the same pattern. Even if you copy only the superficial methods, without understanding the underlying creativity, context, or timing, it becomes merely a rehash.
On the other hand, in our information society, it has also become easier to deeply investigate “why things are so.” More people are understanding the essence of success and incorporating it with their own arrangements. The lesson of “Imitate frowning” in modern times shows not only the warning against superficial imitation but also the importance of the ability to discern essence using abundant information.
This proverb can be said to have gained deeper meaning precisely because we live in an era where copy and paste is easily done.
When AI Hears This
When a post “goes viral” on social media, we suddenly see masses of photos with identical poses and expressions. This is the modern version of “imitating Xi Shi’s frown.”
From a psychological perspective, this stems from the “social proof principle.” When faced with uncertainty, people judge others’ behavior as correct and unconsciously mimic it. When influencers strike “Instagram-worthy” poses, followers fall into the illusion that “this is the right way to express myself” and copy the same poses.
Particularly fascinating is the “vicarious satisfaction of validation-seeking” mechanism. Imitators unconsciously expect to receive the same “likes” and praise that the original poster gained. However, psychological research shows that while mimicking behavior provides temporary comfort, it doesn’t improve long-term self-esteem.
What’s uniquely modern is the “algorithmic amplification effect.” Social media algorithms prioritize similar content, causing copycat posts to spread one after another. This accelerates the “imitating the frown” phenomenon, flooding platforms with unoriginal content.
The result? Those who imitate end up buried in the crowd, puzzled like Xi Shi’s neighbor wondering “why am I not getting attention?” We in the social media age are falling into the same imitation trap as the Chinese did 2,500 years ago.
Lessons for Today
What “Imitate frowning” teaches us today is what true learning means. It reminds us of the importance of understanding essence rather than superficial imitation.
In modern society, success secrets and life hacks abound, but what’s important is understanding “why they are effective.” Only by customizing them to fit your situation, values, and goals does it become truly meaningful learning.
This proverb also teaches us not to fear failure too much. The woman who imitated Xi Shi was indeed comical, but her challenging spirit was never in vain. What’s important is learning from failure and aiming for more essential understanding next time.
When you feel down comparing yourself to others on social media, remember this proverb. Value not just superficial aspects, but that person’s effort and background, and above all, your own individuality and worth. That’s the first step to graduating from “Imitate frowning.” It’s fine to start with imitation. From there, you can find your own uniqueness.
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