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
Wind (风) laying the grass flat (靡), for a time (一时). The image descends from a line about the people bending before a ruler as grass bends before wind, and it is exact about how a fashion travels: not each person deciding, but a whole field going over at once. 一时 is the sting. It fixes a period and implies the end of one, so the phrase concedes the scale of the success and dates it in the same breath. Songs, products and ideas that everybody had and nobody now mentions.
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
所向披靡
suǒ xiàng pī mǐ
Be invincible; defeat all opponents
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时来运转
shí lái yùn zhuǎn
Fortune finally turns your way
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守时如金
shǒu shí rú jīn
Value time preciously
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一帆风顺
yī fān fēng shùn
Smooth sailing; everything going well
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风声鹤唳
fēng shēng hè lì
Overly fearful and suspicious
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金风玉露
jīn fēng yù lù
Autumn wind and dew; autumn scenery
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风云突变
fēng yún tū biàn
Sudden dramatic change
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风月无边
fēng yuè wú biān
Boundless natural beauty and romance
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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”.