<p>冰雪聪明 always describes that someone is very clever and smart. It comes from <code>唐·杜甫《送樊二十三侍御赴汉中判官》诗：“坐知七曜历，手画三军势。冰雪净聪明，雷霆走精锐。”</code>. But <code>冰雪聪明</code> is <strong>not only for girl</strong>.</p>
<p><code>冰雪聪明</code> can be used to describe the child too----冰雪聪明的孩子, but be careful when you use it to describe adult, especially male adult.</p>
<p>Other examples in ancient articles:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>以冰雪聪明的文章，写雷霆精锐的思想，这种议论，就容易动人听闻了。（清·曾朴《孽海花》第十回）</p>
<p>姬冰雪聪明，靡不淹悟，类多韜匿不言。(清·陈孟楷 《湘烟小录·香畹楼忆语》)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Source：</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.udn.com/glwang/3277222" rel="noreferrer">為何叫冰雪聰明</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-06T12:02:47.703Z
2014-01-06T12:02:47.703Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
einverne
<p>I would say, in most cases it is used to describe young girls. In some other cases, if people want to make their comments/conversation to take a flavor of humor, they can be used to describe boys/men.</p>

<p>才貌双全 is relatively more neutral.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-05T22:13:25.597Z
2014-01-05T22:13:25.597Z
L.J
<p>According to baidu (<a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/117274.htm" rel="nofollow">http://baike.baidu.com/view/117274.htm</a>), it is usually used to describe women, but can occasionally be used to describe men as well.  "这个词通常用来形容年轻女子。 ... 有时也可用于才貌双全的男性。"</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-05T20:30:55.533Z
2014-01-05T20:30:55.533Z
user238264
<p>Yes. This word is ususally for girls.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-26T22:20:14.820Z
Can you explain more?
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-26T17:23:44.417Z
2021-02-26T17:23:44.417Z
Ruohan Li
<p>Is the expression 冰雪聪明 (bīng xuě cōng míng) really only used for girls? The literal translation is "snow smart" and I understand it means something along the lines of "extremely smart" but the times I've tried using it for boys/men I'm told it's only for girls. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-06T01:19:03.883Z
As it is used overwhelmingly for girls, I feel it sounds like a gay if use it to describe a man.
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-06T01:39:56.183Z
You can use tone numbers to indicate tones if you are not sure how to type letters with accent marks.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-06T02:04:39.730Z
@deutschZuid this idiom should pronounce [bīng xuě cōng míng](http://www.zdic.net/c/0/10/26912.htm). Not `cōng ming`.
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-06T02:55:34.237Z
冰 and 雪 implies purity and innocence, that's why 冰雪聪明 is mainly used to describe smart young girls.
杨以轩
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-06T03:48:51.410Z
@Stan Interesting. I have never heard anyone pronounce it like that.
deutschZuid
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-06T04:23:22.800Z
@deutschZuid ... maybe I should have expressed more clearly. Yes, `聪明` **alone** can be pronounced as `cōng ming`, and it is quite often heard; however it's not a must, the [National Putonghua Proficiency Test](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSC#Other) doesn't put it in the ["must neutral tone" list](http://www.beijingputonghua.com/psc/qingsheng/qingsheng.htm), and the 现代汉语词典 fifth edition also marks it as `cōng míng` (well it is a constant argued issue). In `冰雪聪明`, the `cōng ming` sound is not natural, so at least I don't suggest pronouncing it like that.
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-06T15:42:27.397Z
I'd would rather suggest not to realize most neutral tones, except for words like 的 得 地(adverb marker) 妈妈 爸爸. Southern speakers don't really speak with neutral tones and Taiwanese mandarin also has much fewer words with neutral tones...
user58955
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-27T06:16:56.413Z
Like the word "cute", (可爱), which in the not too distant past was used quite exclusively for girls, particularly young girls. But in our present "mixed-up" World, anything goes. Be that as it may, I still think that expressions like 漂亮, 美丽 are for girls only.
Wayne Cheah
<mandarin><usage><idioms>
冰雪聪明... only for girls?
# 冰雪聪明... only for girls?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-05)

Is the expression 冰雪聪明 (bīng xuě cōng míng) really only used for girls? The literal translation is "snow smart" and I understand it means something along the lines of "extremely smart" but the times I've tried using it for boys/men I'm told it's only for girls.

**Tags:** mandarin, usage, idioms
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: As it is used overwhelmingly for girls, I feel it sounds like a gay if use it to describe a man.  
> **username_2**: You can use tone numbers to indicate tones if you are not sure how to type letters with accent marks.  
> **username_1**: @deutschZuid this idiom should pronounce [bīng xuě cōng míng](http://www.zdic.net/c/0/10/26912.htm). Not `cōng ming`.  
> **username_3**: 冰 and 雪 implies purity and innocence, that's why 冰雪聪明 is mainly used to describe smart young girls.  
> **username_2**: @Stan Interesting. I have never heard anyone pronounce it like that.  
> **username_1**: @deutschZuid ... maybe I should have expressed more clearly. Yes, `聪明` **alone** can be pronounced as `cōng ming`, and it is quite often heard; however it's not a must, the [National Putonghua Proficiency Test](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSC#Other) doesn't put it in the ["must neutral tone" list](http://www.beijingputonghua.com/psc/qingsheng/qingsheng.htm), and the 现代汉语词典 fifth edition also marks it as `cōng míng` (well it is a constant argued issue). In `冰雪聪明`, the `cōng ming` sound is not natural, so at least I don't suggest pronouncing it like that.  
> **username_4**: I'd would rather suggest not to realize most neutral tones, except for words like 的 得 地(adverb marker) 妈妈 爸爸. Southern speakers don't really speak with neutral tones and Taiwanese mandarin also has much fewer words with neutral tones...  
> **username_5**: Like the word "cute", (可爱), which in the not too distant past was used quite exclusively for girls, particularly young girls. But in our present "mixed-up" World, anything goes. Be that as it may, I still think that expressions like 漂亮, 美丽 are for girls only.  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2014-01-06. Score: 5

冰雪聪明 always describes that someone is very clever and smart. It comes from `唐·杜甫《送樊二十三侍御赴汉中判官》诗：“坐知七曜历，手画三军势。冰雪净聪明，雷霆走精锐。”`. But `冰雪聪明` is **not only for girl**.

`冰雪聪明` can be used to describe the child too----冰雪聪明的孩子, but be careful when you use it to describe adult, especially male adult.

Other examples in ancient articles:

> 以冰雪聪明的文章，写雷霆精锐的思想，这种议论，就容易动人听闻了。（清·曾朴《孽海花》第十回）
>
> 姬冰雪聪明，靡不淹悟，类多韜匿不言。(清·陈孟楷 《湘烟小录·香畹楼忆语》)

Source：

[為何叫冰雪聰明](http://blog.udn.com/glwang/3277222)


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### Answer by username_7 on 2014-01-05. Score: 3

I would say, in most cases it is used to describe young girls. In some other cases, if people want to make their comments/conversation to take a flavor of humor, they can be used to describe boys/men.

才貌双全 is relatively more neutral.


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### Answer by username_8 on 2014-01-05. Score: 2

According to baidu (<http://baike.baidu.com/view/117274.htm>), it is usually used to describe women, but can occasionally be used to describe men as well. "这个词通常用来形容年轻女子。 ... 有时也可用于才貌双全的男性。"


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### Answer by username_9 on 2021-02-26. Score: -1

Yes. This word is ususally for girls.

> **Comments:**
> **username_10**: Can you explain more?  

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