🐲 叶公好龙 yè gōng hào lóng – Loving the Idea, Fearing the Reality

🐲 叶公好龙 yè gōng hào lóng – Loving the Idea, Fearing the Reality

🔍 What It Means

叶公好龙 (yè gōng hào lóng) literally means “Lord Ye loves dragons” — but only in appearance.


Word-for-word:

  • 叶公 (Yè Gōng) – Lord Ye (a nobleman’s title and name)
  • 好 (hào) – to love, to be fond of
  • 龙 (lóng) – dragon


It means: Someone claims to love something, but only on the surface — and fears or avoids it when it becomes real.


In English, it’s like saying:

  • 🎭 “Loving the idea, not the reality”
  • 🐉 “All talk, no courage”
  • 🚪 “Be careful what you wish for”

🏺 Where It Comes From

In ancient China, there was a man named Lord Ye.

He claimed to love dragons.

He decorated his house with dragons:

🐲 dragon carvings, dragon paintings, dragon patterns — everywhere!

The real dragons in the sky heard about it.

One day, a real dragon came down to visit him.

What happened?

Lord Ye saw the living dragon —

and ran away in fear and panic!

So people said:

“He didn’t love dragons. He only loved the idea of dragons.”

That’s how the idiom 叶公好龙 was born.

💬 How to Use It

Use 叶公好龙 when someone says they love something…

but shows fear, rejection, or avoidance when facing the real thing.

  • ❌ It’s a critical or ironic expression
  • 🎭 Often used for fake enthusiasm or image-keeping
  • ⚠️ Can apply to people who talk big but can’t follow through

🎯 Real Examples

1. 她总说喜欢挑战，可一遇到难题就退缩，简直是叶公好龙。

  • Tā zǒng shuō xǐhuan tiǎozhàn, kě yí yùdào nántí jiù tuìsuō, jiǎnzhí shì Yègōng hào lóng. 
  • 👉🏻 She always says she loves challenges, but backs off as soon as things get hard — just like Lord Ye and his dragon.

2. 他说喜欢真实的人，但听到别人讲真话时却生气，真是叶公好龙。

  • Tā shuō xǐhuan zhēnshí de rén, dàn tīngdào biérén jiǎng zhēn huà shí què shēngqì, zhēn shì Yègōng hào lóng.
  • 👉🏻 He says he likes honesty, but gets mad when people speak the truth — that’s 叶公好龙.

⚠️ Common Mistakes (Watch Out!)

  • ❌ Mistake: Using it for anyone who likes something
  • ✅ Correct: Use it only when there’s a clear contradiction between words and actions

💡 Memory Tip

Image

Imagine a man living in a palace full of dragon decorations.

He praises dragons to everyone he meets.

But when a real dragon appears…

he screams and runs away!


That’s 叶公好龙 — loving the idea, but fearing the truth.

🧩 Interactive Practice

Translate this sentence into English:

  • 他喜欢当领导，可是一遇到责任就退缩，简直是叶公好龙。

Answer:

  • He likes the idea of being a leader, but runs away from responsibility — just like Lord Ye and his dragon.

🌟 Final Thoughts

Some people love the fantasy, but can’t handle the reality.

They decorate their lives with images — but avoid the truth.


🧐 Ask yourself: Do I love the dragon? Or just the painting?


👉 Stay tuned for the next idiom in this series!