高山流水
高山流水 (gāo shān liú shuǐ) literally means “high mountain flowing water” and expresses “perfect artistic understanding between friends”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: gao shan liu shui, gao shan liu shui,高山流水 meaning, 高山流水 in english
Perfect artistic understanding between friends
Pronunciation: gāo shān liú shuǐ Literal meaning: High mountain flowing water
Origin & Usage
The Liezi records that Bo Ya played the qin and Zhong Ziqi listened. When Bo Ya's mind was on high (高) mountains (山), Zhong Ziqi said: how towering, like Mount Tai. When it turned to flowing (流) water (水), he said: how vast, like the Yangtze and the Yellow River. Whatever Bo Ya had in mind, Zhong Ziqi caught it. The Lüshi Chunqiu supplies the ending: when Zhong Ziqi died, Bo Ya broke his qin, cut the strings and never played again, holding that there was no longer anyone worth playing for. The phrase is used for understanding that needs no explaining, and 知音 — one who knows the tone — is still the Chinese word for that kind of friend.
Examples
English: "The virtuoso's performance demonstrated perfect artistic harmony and expression"
Chinese: 这位大师的表演展示了完美的艺术和谐与表现力
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about relationships & character
跋山涉水
bá shān shè shuǐ
Travel through hardship; overcome obstacles
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望穿秋水
wàng chuān qiū shuǐ
To eagerly await someone or something
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开门见山
kāi mén jiàn shān
Get straight to point
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愚公移山
yú gōng yí shān
Persistence overcomes huge obstacles
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人山人海
rén shān rén hǎi
Vast crowds of people
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安如泰山
ān rú tài shān
Absolutely stable and unshakable
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东山再起
dōng shān zài qǐ
Make a comeback after setback or retirement
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铁证如山
tiě zhèng rú shān
Irrefutable evidence; conclusive proof
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 高山流水 mean in English?
高山流水 (gāo shān liú shuǐ) literally translates to “High mountain flowing water” and is used to express “Perfect artistic understanding between friends”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 高山流水 used?
Situation: The virtuoso's performance demonstrated perfect artistic harmony and expression
What is the pinyin for 高山流水?
The pinyin pronunciation for 高山流水 is “gāo shān liú shuǐ”.
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