吉祥如意
吉祥如意 (jí xiáng rú yì) literally means “auspicious, and as you wish” and expresses “good fortune and fulfilment”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: ji xiang ru yi, ji xiang ru yi,吉祥如意 meaning, 吉祥如意 in english
Good fortune and fulfilment
Pronunciation: jí xiáng rú yì Literal meaning: Auspicious, and as you wish
Origin & Usage
The commonest of all Chinese New Year wishes hides a sheep in plain sight. 祥, auspiciousness, is built on the 羊 radical, and in Han-dynasty bronze inscriptions the compound 吉祥 was regularly written 吉羊 — the sheep and the blessing were the same word. Ancient writers treated the animal as the emblem of everything mild, well-fed and safe, which is why the oracle-bone form of 美, beauty, is a human figure crowned with a ram's horns. Saying 吉祥如意 in a Goat year is therefore not a pun laid on top of the greeting; it is the greeting returning to its own root.
Examples
English: "The card carried the plainest and best of wishes: good fortune, and everything as you hope."
Chinese: 祝您新春吉祥如意，阖家安康。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
一波三折
yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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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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因果报应
yīn guǒ bào yìng
Actions have consequences
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 吉祥如意 mean in English?
吉祥如意 (jí xiáng rú yì) literally translates to “Auspicious, and as you wish” and is used to express “Good fortune and fulfilment”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 吉祥如意 used?
Situation: The card carried the plainest and best of wishes: good fortune, and everything as you hope.
What is the pinyin for 吉祥如意?
The pinyin pronunciation for 吉祥如意 is “jí xiáng rú yì”.
Curated Lists Featuring 吉祥如意
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12 Chinese Goat and Sheep Idioms (羊) — What the Sheep Symbolizes in China
The sheep is hidden inside the Chinese words for beauty, goodness, righteousness and good fortune. Twelve 羊 idioms, what each one means, and why Chinese treats this animal as the root of value itself.