Japanese meaning of 美人薄命
Reading:
びじんはくめい (bijin hakumei)
English Translation:
Beautiful women are destined to have short lives
Meaning & Cultural Context
Meaning:
Beautiful women tend to have short lives
Cultural Context:
Rooted in literary romanticism; appears in poetry, novels, and eulogies.
美しい女性は短命であるという俗説。
文学的ロマン主義に基づき、詩・小説・追悼文で見られる。
Grammar & Learning Points
Grammar Point
• Noun phrase used in poetic expressions; often with “の運命.”
Trap for English Speakers
May be seen as praising beauty without noting the tragic nuance.
Example
Basic Example
昔から美人薄命と言われる。
It has long been said that beautiful women are destined to have short lives.
Applied Example
彼女は村一番の美人だったが、美人薄命の運命から逃れられなかった。
She was the most beautiful woman in the village, but could not escape the fate that Beautiful women are destined to have short lives.