乐不思蜀
lè bù sī Shǔ
having too good a time to think of home
Character by character
乐lè
happy
happy
不bù
not
not
思sī
miss
miss
蜀Shǔ
Shu
Shu
Example
他去云南旅游，一住就是两个月，真是乐不思蜀了。
He went to Yunnan on holiday and stayed two months: having far too good a time to think of home.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
After Shu fell in 263 its last ruler, 刘禅, lived in comfort in Luoyang; asked by 司马昭 whether he missed Shu, he said 此间乐，不思蜀, “I am happy here and do not miss Shu”. Today mostly a joke about a trip or a new home; said of someone who forgets a duty, it is a reproach.
Learn this in Lesson 89 · HSK 6–7: 三国：历史与小说 (The Three Kingdoms: history and the novel)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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