The Whisper of Spring: Chinese Idioms to Help Your Vocab Bloom
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Even though the pandemic has forced us inside more than usual this spring, that doesn't mean that your vocabulary has to wither and die. In fact, the extra downtime presents the perfect opportunity to brush off your Chinese vocabulary and let your idioms blossom – an art that the Chinese literati reveled in, never failing to find new ways of describing or rejoicing in the arrival spring.
Below are some of our favorites, each conjuring a world as lush as a garden in full bloom, and perfect to drop casually into your conversation when you're next taking a stroll around one of the city's parks.
春暖花开 chūnnuǎn huā kāi - 'Warm spring weather arrives and the flowers blossom.'
春寒料峭 chūnhánliàoqiào - 'A sudden cold snap in spring sends a shiver down your spine.'
春和景明 chūn hé jǐngmíng - 'The weather is mild and comfortable in spring and the scenery is colorful and bright.'
春雨贵如油 chūnyǔ guì rú yóu - 'Spring precipitation is more precious than the grease.' This speaks to how rainfall in spring is integral to a good harvest later in the year.
春无三日晴 chūn wú sān rì qíng - 'In the spring there are less than three consecutively sunny days.' 三 sān here doesn’t necessarily mean three, but rather 'a few.' This speaks to how springtime weather is often very variable.阳春三月 yángchūn sān yuè - This refers to the third month in the lunar calendar, a time synonymous with the arrival of spring. The wealthy usually dressed in cyan and painted their carriages the same color, a reflection of the clear and bright pools of water during this time of year.
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草长莺飞 cǎo zhǎng yīng fēi - 'The grass grows and the warbler flutters.' A popular phrase that is used to describe the lively and joyful nature of a spring scene.
桃花流水 táohuā liúshuǐ - 'The peach blossoms float on the river.' Another phrase beautifully captures a spring scene, and also acts as a metaphor to describe a romantic relationship between the men and women.
百花齐放 bǎihuāqífàng - 'Hundreds of flowers blooming at the same time.' An exaggerated way to depict nature's rebirth during spring. When followed by 百家争鸣 bǎijiāzhēngmíng, the idiom is used to describe a time awash with new and diverse thoughts and values.姹紫嫣红 chàzǐyānhóng - 'Rich purple and gaudy red.' An idiom frequently used to describe the color of flowers.一年之计在于春 yī nián zhī jì zàiyú chūn - 'The year’s planning starts at spring.' A traditional proverb that dates back to the Tang dynasty and is often followed by 一日之计在于晨 yī rì zhī jì zàiyú chén, 'A day’s planning starts in the morning.'春色恼人 chūnsè nǎorén - 'The annoying beauty of the spring.' Stunning views don’t necessarily always trigger joyfulness – when deep in sorrow, spring's ebullience can prove even more grating.
春山如笑 chūnshān rú xiào - 'Mountains in spring look like a smile.' Northern China's ridgelines usually look rugged and stark in the winter but are smoothed and decorated with new leaves and flowers in the early spring.
READ: A Comprehensive List of Beijing's Reopened Parks For You to Enjoy This Spring
Images: Zeus Zou
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