风靡一时
风靡一时 (fēng mǐ yī shí) literally means “wind bending grass for a time” and expresses “extremely popular for a time”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: feng mi yi shi, feng mi yi shi,风靡一时 meaning, 风靡一时 in english
Extremely popular for a time
Pronunciation: fēng mǐ yī shí Literal meaning: Wind bending grass for a time
Origin & Usage
This idiom uses the image of wind (风) bending (靡) grass for a period (一时) to describe widespread popularity. The metaphor of grass uniformly bending before wind captures how trends sweep through populations. The phrase acknowledges that such popularity, while impressive, is typically temporary. It appeared in historical texts describing fashions and fads in different eras. Modern usage describes phenomena that achieve massive but often short-lived popularity, from songs to products to ideas.
Examples
English: "That song was hugely popular for a season."
Chinese: 那首歌曾风靡一时。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 风靡一时 mean in English?
风靡一时 (fēng mǐ yī shí) literally translates to “Wind bending grass for a time” and is used to express “Extremely popular for a time”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 风靡一时 used?
Situation: That song was hugely popular for a season.
What is the pinyin for 风靡一时?
The pinyin pronunciation for 风靡一时 is “fēng mǐ yī shí”.