草长莺飞
草长莺飞 (cǎo zhǎng yīng fēi) literally means “grass grows, orioles fly” and expresses “springtime vitality”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: cao zhang ying fei, cao zhang ying fei,草长莺飞 meaning, 草长莺飞 in english
Springtime vitality
Pronunciation: cǎo zhǎng yīng fēi Literal meaning: Grass grows, orioles fly
Origin & Usage
Qiu Chi, writing to persuade a defector to come home, gave him the south in three clauses: in late spring, the grass of Jiangnan grows (草长), flowers come out on the trees, and the orioles fly (莺飞) in flocks. It was an argument, not a description — he was reminding the man what he had left. The phrase kept the picture and lost the letter. It now simply names the moment when spring is fully underway, and it is a set phrase in Chinese writing about that season.
Examples
English: "As spring arrives, the landscape transforms, bringing new life and joy."
Chinese: 春天来了，草长莺飞，万物复苏。
Related Chinese Idioms
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yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Shirk effort by preference
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Push far enough and it turns
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sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Advantage from close connections
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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因果报应
yīn guǒ bào yìng
Good and evil deeds repaid in kind
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 草长莺飞 mean in English?
草长莺飞 (cǎo zhǎng yīng fēi) literally translates to “Grass grows, orioles fly” and is used to express “Springtime vitality”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 草长莺飞 used?
Situation: As spring arrives, the landscape transforms, bringing new life and joy.
What is the pinyin for 草长莺飞?
The pinyin pronunciation for 草长莺飞 is “cǎo zhǎng yīng fēi”.