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
一波三折
yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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门庭若市
mén tíng ruò shì
Extremely popular
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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
Love ease, hate work
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Extremes lead to reversal
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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近水楼台
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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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”.