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IDIOMS · NATURE

Chinese Idioms about Nature & Weather

Chengyu drawn from nature, seasons, and weather — 风和日丽, 春暖花开, 沧海桑田 — the imagery-rich set fluent speakers use to describe scene and mood.

fēng风windhé和gentlerì日sunlì丽bright

Gentle wind, bright sun — a beautiful day.

chūn春springnuǎn暖warmhuā花flowerkāi开bloom

Spring is warm, flowers bloom — the season of blossoms; a time of renewal.

cāng沧bluehǎi海seasāng桑mulberrytián田field

Where blue seas were, now mulberry fields — vast change over time.

shān山mountainqīng清clearshuǐ水waterxiù秀beautiful

Clear mountains, beautiful waters — a place of striking natural scenery.

fēng风windyǔ雨raintóng同samezhōu舟boat

In the same boat through wind and rain — sharing hardships together.

yì一onefān帆sailfēng风windshùn顺smooth

Smooth sailing all the way — everything going perfectly.

jǐn锦brocadeshàng上ontiān添addhuā花flowers

Adding flowers to brocade — making something already beautiful even better.

xuě雪snowzhōng中middlesòng送sendtàn炭charcoal

Sending charcoal in the snow — help that arrives exactly when needed.

shuǐ水waterdào到arriveqú渠channelchéng成form

When the water flows, the channel forms — things work out when conditions are right.

bǎi百hundredhuā花flowersqí齐togetherfàng放bloom

Let a hundred flowers bloom; let diverse forms develop; let a hundred schools of thought contend.

bào暴violentfēng风windzhòu骤suddenyǔ雨rain

Violent wind and sudden rain; a fierce storm; a tempest.

biàn变changehuàn幻shiftmò莫notcè测fathom

Unpredictable; capricious; fickle.

bīng冰icetiān天skyxuě雪snowdì地earth

A world of ice and snow; a snow-covered landscape.

chuān川riverliú流flowbù不notxī息stop

To flow in an endless stream; a constant flow.

cǐ此thisqǐ起risebǐ彼thatfú伏fall

Rising one after another; occurring continuously.

dé得receivetiān天heavendú独uniquehòu厚generous

Uniquely blessed by nature; endowed with exceptional advantages.

ěr耳earmù目eyeyī一onexīn新new

A refreshing change; a feast for the eyes and ears.

fēi飞flyingqín禽birdszǒu走walkingshòu兽beasts

Birds and beasts; all kinds of animals.

fēng风windcān餐eatlù露dewsù宿lodge

Exposed to the wind as one's meal and dew as one's bed; to endure the hardships of traveling and living outdoors.

fēng风windchuī吹blowyǔ雨raindǎ打beat

Exposed to the elements; to undergo hardship and tribulation.

fēng风windtǔ土soilrén人peopleqíng情feeling

local conditions and customs

hǎi海seakuò阔widetiān天skykōng空empty

As wide as the sea and sky; boundless; fig. to talk at random; to let one's imagination run wild.

hū忽suddenlylěng冷coldhū忽suddenlyrè热hot

Hot and cold; fickle; inconsistent.

luò络entwineyì绎continuousbù不notjué绝cut off

In an endless stream; continuously; an unceasing flow.

pū扑rushmiàn面faceér而andlái来come

To assault the senses; to come straight at one.

qiān千thousandbiàn变changewàn万ten thousandhuà化change

Constantly changing; kaleidoscopic.

qiān千thousandzī姿posturebǎi百hundredtài态form

In thousands of poses; in all manner of shapes and forms.

qīng蜻dragonflytíng蜓dragonflydiǎn点touchshuǐ水water

To touch on a subject lightly; to skim the surface; superficial.

rén人peopleshān山mountainrén人peoplehǎi海sea

A sea of people; a huge crowd.

rú如likehuǒ火firerú如liketú荼white-flowered grass

Like a raging fire; in full swing; in a blaze of glory.

shuǐ水waterdī滴dropshí石stonechuān穿pierce

Constant dripping wears away the stone; perseverance achieves success.

shùn顺obeyqí其itszì自selfrán然thus

Let nature take its course; let things be.

sì四fourmiàn面sidesbā八eightfāng方directions

In all directions; all around; from all sides.

sì四fourtōng通connectbā八eightdá达reach

Extend in all directions; accessible from all sides.

tán昙epiphyllumhuā花floweryī一onexiàn现appear

A flash in the pan; a short-lived glory.

wú无nobiān边borderwú无nojì际limit

Boundless; limitless; vast and without boundaries.

wǔ五fivehú湖lakessì四fourhǎi海seas

all corners of the land; everywhere

xī熙bustlingxī熙bustlingrǎng攘jostlingrǎng攘jostling

bustling with activity; crowded

xīn新newchén陈olddài代replacexiè谢supersede

Metabolism; the new replaces the old.

xīn欣flourishingxīn欣flourishingxiàng向towardsróng荣thriving

Flourishing and prosperous; thriving.

yā鸦crowquè雀sparrowwú无noshēng声sound

As quiet as crows and sparrows; absolute silence; complete stillness.

yí怡pleasedrán然like thiszì自selfdé得content

Carefree and content; pleased with oneself.

yōu优superiorshèng胜winliè劣inferiortài汰eliminate

Survival of the fittest; the superior wins and the inferior is eliminated.

yuán源sourceyuán源sourcebù不notduàn断stop

A steady flow; continuous; unceasing.

zhāo朝morningqì气spiritpéng蓬flourishingbó勃vigorous

Full of youthful spirit; vigorous and thriving.

zì自selfrán然thusér而andrán然thus

Naturally; of its own accord.

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