柳暗花明
柳暗花明 (liǔ àn huā míng) literally means “dark willows bright flowers” and expresses “hope appears in darkness”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: liu an hua ming, liu an hua ming,柳暗花明 meaning, 柳暗花明 in english
Hope appears in darkness
Pronunciation: liǔ àn huā míng
Literal meaning: Dark willows bright flowers
Origin & Usage
This idiom comes from a line in Tang Dynasty poet Lu Zhaolin's work, describing a moment where a traveler, surrounded by dark willows (柳暗), suddenly discovers a bright clearing filled with flowers (花明). The imagery draws from classical Chinese garden design, where winding paths deliberately obscured views to create moments of surprise and revelation. During the Song Dynasty, it evolved beyond its literal meaning to represent hope emerging from difficult circumstances. The contrast between darkness and light, obstruction and clarity, resonates particularly in Chinese philosophical thought about life's cyclical nature. Modern usage applies to any situation where unexpected solutions or opportunities emerge just when circumstances seem most challenging.
Examples
English: "After months of setbacks, they finally had their breakthrough"
Chinese: 经过几个月的挫折，他们终于取得了突破
Discover a new Chinese idiom every day with our iOS app.
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 柳暗花明 mean in English?
柳暗花明 (liǔ àn huā míng) literally translates to “Dark willows bright flowers” and is used to express “Hope appears in darkness”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 柳暗花明 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving hope appears in darkness.
What is the pinyin for 柳暗花明?
The pinyin pronunciation for 柳暗花明 is “liǔ àn huā míng”.