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. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
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。
Discover a new Chinese idiom every day with our iOS app.
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
一帆风顺
yī fān fēng shùn
Plain sailing; everything going smoothly
Learn more →
千里迢迢
qiān lǐ tiáo tiáo
Travel a great distance
Learn more →
民富国强
mín fù guó qiáng
Prosperous people and powerful nation
Learn more →
国泰民安
guó tài mín ān
National peace and public security
Learn more →
太平盛世
tài píng shèng shì
Golden age of peace and prosperity
Learn more →
四海升平
sì hǎi shēng píng
Peace everywhere; universal harmony
Learn more →
安土重迁
ān tǔ zhòng qiān
Prefer stability; reluctant to relocate
Learn more →
故土难离
gù tǔ nán lí
Hard to leave one's homeland
Learn more →
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: This idiom applies when describing situations involving extremely popular for a time.
What is the pinyin for 风靡一时?
The pinyin pronunciation for 风靡一时 is “fēng mǐ yī shí”.