沐猴にして冠す

Japanese

Kanji in this term
もく > もっ
Hyōgaiji
こう
Hyōgaiji
かん
Grade: S
on’yomi

Etymology

Calque of Middle Chinese 沐猴而冠. Literally "monkey wear crown", as outwardly fine but inwardly lacking. From 史記.

Proverb

沐猴にして冠す (hiragana もっこうにしてかんす, rōmaji mokkō ni shite kansu)

  1. Being a person who is not suitable for the status.
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