Bệnh Tề Uyên

Definition
  1. Proper Noun:
    • The Malady of King Xuan of Qi: A classical Chinese literary and philosophical allusion referring to the three confessed weaknesses or "maladies" of King Xuan of Qi during the Warring States period, as recorded in the Mencius. The three are: a fondness for courage, a fondness for wealth, and a fondness for beauty (lust).
    • Specifically, Lust: In later Vietnamese literary usage, especially in poetry, the phrase often narrows in meaning to symbolize an intense and sudden surge of lust or carnal desire.
Usage Examples
  • Proper Noun:
    • Trong "Mạnh Tử", Tề Tuyên Vương thú nhận mình mắc "Bệnh Tề Uyên". (In the Mencius, King Xuan of Qi confessed to having "The Malady of Qi".)
    • Câu thơ "Bệnh Tề Uyên đã nổi lên đùng đùng" miêu tả cơn ham muốn nhục dục bất ngờ. (The verse "The Malady of Qi erupted violently" describes a sudden surge of carnal desire.)
Advanced Usage
  • This term is primarily used in a classical, literary, or rhetorical context to discuss human flaws, moral weaknesses, or philosophical concepts from Confucian discourse. It is not used in modern medical or everyday conversation.
Variants and Related Words
  • Hiếu sắc (n): Fondness for beauty/lust; the specific one of the three maladies most commonly associated with the phrase in Vietnamese poetry.
  • Tính hiếu sắc (n): Lustful nature.
Synonyms
  • Lust: Intense sexual desire.
  • Carnal desire: Physical or sexual appetite.
  • Moral weakness: A flaw in character, especially from a philosophical standpoint.
Related Idioms/Phrases
  • Mắc bệnh Tề Uyên: To be afflicted with the Malady of Qi; used figuratively to mean being overcome by lust or strong base desires.
    • Chàng trai ấy nhìn cô gái đẹp và hình như đã mắc bệnh Tề Uyên. (That young man looked at the beautiful girl and seemed to be afflicted with the Malady of Qi.)