车水马龙

Pronunciation: chē shuǐ mǎ lóng Literal meaning: Carriages like water, horses like dragons

Origin & Usage

Commonly used in classical Chinese, the idiom 车水马龙 (chē shuǐ mǎ lóng) paints a vivid picture of bustling activity. The phrase originates from the Eastern Han dynasty, particularly from the story of Empress Ma, who observed the constant flow of carriages (车, chē) and horses (马, mǎ) visiting her relatives, resembling flowing water (水, shuǐ) and a moving dragon (龙, lóng). Despite her simple and frugal lifestyle, her relatives indulged in extravagance. This idiom captures the scene of continuous traffic and lively movement, often used to describe busy urban settings or crowded events.

Examples

English: "The bustling city streets were filled with a constant flow of traffic."

Chinese: 繁华的街道上车水马龙，热闹非凡。