12 Chinese Idioms About Wind (风)
Master Chinese idioms featuring wind (风), symbolizing change, influence, and natural forces.
Wind (风, fēng) in Chinese idioms represents change, influence, reputation, and natural forces. These expressions describe everything from swift action to social trends.
风雨同舟
fēng yǔ tóng zhōuShare hardships together
Literal: Share boat in wind and rain
Closely related to '同舟共济' but with added emotional depth, this idiom evokes sharing a boat (同舟) amid wind (风) and rain (雨). It first appeared in Song Dynasty poetry describing political allies weathering court intrigues together. The imagery draws from the experiences of river travelers who formed d...
Example
The partners stood by each other through business difficulties
合伙人在企业困难时期互相支持
春风化雨
chūn fēng huà yǔGentle, nurturing influence
Literal: Spring wind becomes rain
This poetic metaphor traces back to the Han Dynasty's educational philosophy, where ideal teaching was compared to spring winds (春风) transforming into nurturing rain (化雨). The imagery draws from agricultural wisdom – spring breezes and gentle rains nurture plants without forcing growth. Scholar Han ...
Example
The teacher's patient guidance slowly transformed the struggling student
老师耐心的引导慢慢改变了这个困难学生
风声鹤唳
fēng shēng hè lìOverly fearful and suspicious
Literal: Wind sound crane call
Dating back to the Jin Dynasty (265-420 CE), this idiom emerged from the aftermath of the Battle of Fei River. The defeated army became so paranoid that they mistook every wind (风) sound (声) and crane's (鹤) cry (唳) for enemy movements. The image draws from the watchful nature of cranes, known in Chi...
Example
After the security breach, the company became extremely cautious about every small alert
在安全漏洞事件后，公司对每个小警报都格外警惕
金风玉露
jīn fēng yù lùPerfect timing and conditions
Literal: Golden wind jade dew
This poetic idiom pairs golden (金) autumn wind (风) with jade-like (玉) dew (露), dating from Tang Dynasty nature poetry. It captures the crystalline clarity of fall mornings when the first cool breezes meet with early dew, traditionally considered the most beautiful moments of the year. The combinatio...
Example
The market conditions were ideal for launching the new product
市场条件非常适合推出新产品
风云突变
fēng yún tū biànSudden dramatic change
Literal: Wind cloud sudden change
This dramatic idiom captures the sudden (突) change (变) in wind (风) and clouds (云), drawing from ancient Chinese meteorological observations. Originated during the Tang Dynasty in military texts describing battlefield conditions, it reflects the Chinese understanding of natural forces as omens. The s...
Example
The market landscape changed completely after the new regulations
新规定出台后，市场格局完全改变了
风云际会
fēng yún jì huìPerfect moment of opportunity
Literal: Wind cloud gather meeting
Drawing from ancient Chinese cosmology, this idiom describes the dramatic moment when wind (风) and clouds (云) gather (际会) before a momentous change. The imagery comes from astronomical observations recorded during the Zhou Dynasty, where such atmospheric phenomena were seen as heavenly omens. Histor...
Example
The market conditions created a perfect opportunity for the new venture
市场条件为新企业创造了完美的机会
风月无边
fēng yuè wú biānBoundless natural beauty and romance
Literal: Wind moon without boundaries
This aesthetic idiom celebrates how the beauty of wind (风) and moon (月) extends without (无) boundaries (边), originating from Tang Dynasty poetry. It first appeared in verses describing transcendent natural beauty that seemed to expand beyond physical limits. The specific pairing of wind and moon rep...
Example
The poet's work captured the limitless beauty of natural landscapes
诗人的作品捕捉了自然景观的无限美丽
风雨无阻
fēng yǔ wú zǔPersist despite difficult conditions
Literal: Wind rain no hindrance
This determined idiom states that wind (风) and rain (雨) present no (无) obstacle (阻), originating from Han Dynasty courier service standards. Historical records describe how imperial postal systems maintained operation regardless of weather conditions, ensuring communication across the vast empire. D...
Example
The delivery service continued operating throughout the severe typhoon season
快递服务在整个台风季节期间继续运营
风华正茂
fēng huá zhèng màoAt peak of youth's ability
Literal: Prime of youth and vigor
This idiom emerged during the Song Dynasty, capturing the moment when one's elegant bearing (风华) is at its flourishing prime (正茂). It gained prominence in literary circles describing promising young scholars whose abilities were beginning to flourish. During the Ming Dynasty, court officials adopted...
Example
The young athletes represented their country at the peak of their physical capabilities
这些年轻运动员在他们身体能力的巅峰时期代表国家参赛
呼风唤雨
hū fēng huàn yǔWielding extraordinary influence over others
Literal: Summon wind, call rain
Ancient shamanistic traditions gave us this image of summoning wind (呼风) and calling rain (唤雨). Tang Dynasty writers transformed it from literal weather control to metaphorical influence over events. The meteorological metaphor perfectly captured the ability to affect natural forces, representing ex...
Example
The influential investor could transform market trends with a single public statement
这位有影响力的投资者可以用一个公开声明改变市场趋势
捕风捉影
bǔ fēng zhuō yǐngMake accusations without solid evidence
Literal: Catch wind grasp shadow
Tang Dynasty Buddhist texts warn of the futility of trying to catch wind (捕风) and grasp shadows (捉影). Song Dynasty philosophers transformed this spiritual metaphor into a powerful critique of baseless accusations and insubstantial evidence. Ming Dynasty legal scholars particularly favored it when co...
Example
The investigation was based on rumors with no substantial evidence
调查是基于没有实质证据的谣言
乘风破浪
chéng fēng pò làngBoldly forge ahead through adversity
Literal: Ride wind break waves
Li Bai's bold verse from the Tang Dynasty - 'Straight ahead, ride the wind (乘风) and break through waves (破浪)' - gave us this dynamic image of progress through adversity. Originally maritime terminology, Song Dynasty writers transformed it into a broader metaphor for advancement through challenges. T...
Example
The startup boldly expanded during economic turbulence while competitors retreated
当竞争对手退缩时，这家初创公司在经济动荡期间大胆扩张
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