<p>I found something in Baidu Encyclopedia.</p>

<p>For 吹牛</p>

<p><a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/3806.htm" rel="noreferrer">http://baike.baidu.com/view/3806.htm</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Originally 吹牛 comes from 吹牛皮 (blowing cow leather). In the old times,
  people who lived along the Yellow River used cow leather to make
  rafts, cuz the yellow river could easily destroy wood boats. However
  there was no bumpers at that time. So it was strong people who were
  responsible to blow air into the "leather bag" to make it a raft.
  However, even the strongest man could not make it by himeself. So if
  someone says "I can blow a raft by myself", he must be bragging. As a
  result, people use 吹牛皮 to refer to bragging.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/IlNmK.jpg" alt="A photo of a 牛皮筏"><br>
The photo comes from: <a href="http://www.chinavalue.net/Wiki/%E7%89%9B%E7%9A%AE%E7%AD%8F.aspx" rel="noreferrer">http://www.chinavalue.net/Wiki/%E7%89%9B%E7%9A%AE%E7%AD%8F.aspx</a></p>

<p>For 拍马屁</p>

<p><a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/26474.htm" rel="noreferrer">http://baike.baidu.com/view/26474.htm</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>When it was Yuan dynasty in ancient China, the mongolians loved riding
  horses (cuz they conquered China and many other places with their
  cavalry force). At that time, when a mongolian met another mongolian,
  he would pat the other's horse, and say something like "nice horse".
  It was the best way to make generals and officers of the Yuan dynasty
  happy by saying "your horses are good". And when the mongolians ruled
  China, this custom also came to China.</p>
  
  <p>However, originally it was 拍马 (patting the horse), not 拍马屁.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Forgive my translate ^_^</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-20T02:57:03.050Z
Interesting - I'd never thought about the meaning behind these expressions - thanks for the clear insight.
Ciaocibai
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-04-13T03:57:23.867Z
The picture is hilarious. LOL
Betty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-20T02:33:18.830Z
2012-01-20T02:59:56.557Z
2012-01-20T02:59:56.557Z
Dante WWWW
<p>I would like to find out more about the two sayings "吹牛" and "拍马屁".</p>

<p>How these sayings come about and get their current meanings?</p>

<p>吹牛 <em>chuīniú</em> meaning to brag</p>

<p>拍马屁 <em>pāimǎpì</em> meaning to excessively flatter someone</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-20T09:48:18.200Z
xiaohouzi79, I removed the 和 in your title so it's all in English. I think the best is to either post in English or in Chinese, but mixing the two might not be the best.
Alenanno
<meaning>
Meanings behind "吹牛" and "拍马屁"
# Meanings behind "吹牛" and "拍马屁"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-01-20)

I would like to find out more about the two sayings "吹牛" and "拍马屁".

How these sayings come about and get their current meanings?

吹牛 *chuīniú* meaning to brag

拍马屁 *pāimǎpì* meaning to excessively flatter someone

**Tags:** meaning

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: xiaohouzi79, I removed the 和 in your title so it's all in English. I think the best is to either post in English or in Chinese, but mixing the two might not be the best.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-01-20. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

I found something in Baidu Encyclopedia.

For 吹牛

<http://baike.baidu.com/view/3806.htm>

> Originally 吹牛 comes from 吹牛皮 (blowing cow leather). In the old times,
> people who lived along the Yellow River used cow leather to make
> rafts, cuz the yellow river could easily destroy wood boats. However
> there was no bumpers at that time. So it was strong people who were
> responsible to blow air into the "leather bag" to make it a raft.
> However, even the strongest man could not make it by himeself. So if
> someone says "I can blow a raft by myself", he must be bragging. As a
> result, people use 吹牛皮 to refer to bragging.

![A photo of a 牛皮筏](https://i.sstatic.net/IlNmK.jpg)  
The photo comes from: <http://www.chinavalue.net/Wiki/%E7%89%9B%E7%9A%AE%E7%AD%8F.aspx>

For 拍马屁

<http://baike.baidu.com/view/26474.htm>

> When it was Yuan dynasty in ancient China, the mongolians loved riding
> horses (cuz they conquered China and many other places with their
> cavalry force). At that time, when a mongolian met another mongolian,
> he would pat the other's horse, and say something like "nice horse".
> It was the best way to make generals and officers of the Yuan dynasty
> happy by saying "your horses are good". And when the mongolians ruled
> China, this custom also came to China.
>
> However, originally it was 拍马 (patting the horse), not 拍马屁.

Forgive my translate ^\_^

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Interesting - I'd never thought about the meaning behind these expressions - thanks for the clear insight.  
> **username_4**: The picture is hilarious. LOL  

---

