Skip to content

纸醉金迷zhǐ zuì jīn mílit. dazzling with paper and gold (idiom); fig. indulging in a life of luxury

Not on the HSK 3.0 syllabusidiom

By Chinese Copilot · Last updated

纸醉金迷 (zhǐ zuì jīn mí) means indulging in a life of luxury. Literally it means “dazzling with paper and gold.” Speakers use it to describe a lifestyle or a place full of expensive pleasures, where people spend money freely on parties, fine food, and shiny things instead of simple daily life.

What does 纸醉金迷 mean?

  1. 1.

    lit. dazzling with paper and gold (idiom); fig. indulging in a life of luxuryidiom

Figurative meaning
Indulging in a life of luxury.
Literal meaning
Dazzling with paper and gold.

What do the characters in 纸醉金迷 mean?

  • 纸paper
  • 醉intoxicated
  • 金gold
  • 迷to bewilder

Where does 纸醉金迷 come from?

No attested origin story

How do you use 纸醉金迷?

纸醉金迷 can describe a lavish lifestyle or a glittering city scene, and it fits written and spoken Chinese.

What are some examples of 纸醉金迷 in a sentence?

  1. 他中了大奖以后,过上了纸醉金迷的生活。

    Tā zhòng le dàjiǎng yǐhòu, guòshàng le zhǐ zuì jīn mí de shēnghuó.

    After winning the big prize, he started living a life of luxury.

  2. 这部电影讲的是一个纸醉金迷的城市。

    Zhè bù diànyǐng jiǎng de shì yí ge zhǐ zuì jīn mí de chéngshì.

    This film is about a city of lavish indulgence.

  3. 她不喜欢纸醉金迷,只想过简单的日子。

    Tā bù xǐhuan zhǐ zuì jīn mí, zhǐ xiǎng guò jiǎndān de rìzi.

    She doesn't like a life of luxury; she just wants to live simply.

How is 纸醉金迷 used in a conversation?

  1. Speaker A:

    你看过那个电视剧吗?

    Nǐ kànguo nàge diànshìjù ma?

    Have you seen that TV drama?

  2. Speaker B:

    看过,里面的人每天开派对。

    Kànguo, lǐmiàn de rén měitiān kāi pàiduì.

    Yes, the people in it throw parties every day.

  3. Speaker A:

    真是纸醉金迷的生活。

    Zhēn shì zhǐ zuì jīn mí de shēnghuó.

    That's really a life of luxury.

  4. Speaker B:

    对,可是他们并不快乐。

    Duì, kěshì tāmen bìng bú kuàilè.

    Right, but they aren't actually happy.

Can you use 纸醉金迷 correctly?

0 of 3 answered
  1. 1.What does 纸醉金迷 mean?
  2. 2.Which sentence uses 纸醉金迷 correctly?
  3. 3.Which word fits best? 那些人天天喝酒开派对,过着____的生活。 (Those people drink and party every day, living a life of luxury.)

What should you learn next?

English glosses on this page are adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG (snapshot 2026-10-23), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Glosses were edited for learners.