8 Chinese Idioms About Winter & Cold
Striking Chinese idioms about winter, snow, and enduring the cold - expressions of resilience in harsh times.
Winter imagery in Chinese idioms often represents purity, resilience, and the strength to endure hardship. These expressions draw from snow, ice, and the stark beauty of the cold season.
囊萤映雪
náng yíng yìng xuěStudy despite hardship
Literal: Firefly in bag snow reflection
This poetic idiom combines two classical stories of determined scholars: one who studied by the light of captured fireflies in a bag (囊萤), another who read by snow's reflection (映雪). Dating to the Jin Dynasty, these tales exemplified extraordinary dedication to learning despite poverty. The firefly ...
Example
She studied during her long commute, making use of every spare moment
她在漫长的通勤时间里学习，利用每一个空闲时刻
冰消瓦解
bīng xiāo wǎ jiěComplete collapse
Literal: Ice melts tile breaks
The vivid image of ice (冰) melting (消) and tiles (瓦) breaking apart (解) originated in military texts describing the sudden collapse of seemingly solid formations. First appearing in Three Kingdoms period chronicles, it described how strong alliances could suddenly dissolve when facing internal press...
Example
The team's presentation eliminated all objections to the project
团队的演示消除了项目所有的反对意见
雪中送炭
xuě zhōng sòng tànHelp in time of need
Literal: Send coal in snow
Sending (送) coal (炭) in snow (雪) weather captured the essence of timely assistance during critical moments. This Song Dynasty idiom arose from stories of wealthy merchants who distributed fuel to poor families during harsh winters, when coal prices typically soared beyond reach. The image of dark co...
Example
The timely loan helped the company survive the economic crisis
及时的贷款帮助公司度过了经济危机
唇亡齿寒
chún wáng chǐ hánFates linked together
Literal: Lips gone teeth cold
This vivid metaphor emerged from the Warring States period, when advisor Li Ke warned the state of Wei about abandoning its ally. He explained that when lips (唇) perish (亡), teeth (齿) grow cold (寒), illustrating their mutual dependence. The metaphor resonated deeply in Chinese diplomatic thought, ap...
Example
When the supplier failed, the manufacturer's production also suffered
当供应商倒闭时，制造商的生产也受到影响
如履薄冰
rú lǚ báo bīngExtreme caution in risky situations
Literal: Like walking on thin ice
This cautious idiom describes moving as if (如) walking (履) on thin (薄) ice (冰), originating from the Book of Changes during the Zhou Dynasty. It appeared in discussions about how noble individuals should conduct themselves with constant awareness of potential danger despite appearing safe. The winte...
Example
The negotiation team proceeded cautiously through the delicate diplomatic situation
谈判团队谨慎地处理这个微妙的外交局势
冰清玉洁
bīng qīng yù jiéImpeccable moral character and integrity
Literal: Ice clear jade pure
This purity idiom pairs the clarity of ice (冰清) with the unsullied nature of jade (玉洁), originating from Han Dynasty descriptions of exemplary officials. It first gained prominence through the 'Book of Later Han,' where these natural elements served as metaphors for incorruptible character. During t...
Example
Her reputation for ethical conduct remained unblemished throughout her political career
她在整个政治生涯中保持着清白无瑕的道德声誉
程门立雪
chéng mén lì xuěShow profound respect and patience seeking wisdom
Literal: Cheng door stand snow
A Song Dynasty tale of devotion immortalized student Yang Shi, who stood in snow (立雪) outside philosopher Cheng Yi's door (程门), awaiting his teacher's wisdom. Yuan Dynasty scholars adopted it as the model for ideal student-teacher relationships. The image of a scholar enduring physical discomfort in...
Example
The young researcher spent hours outside the professor's office seeking mentorship
这位年轻研究人员在教授办公室外花费数小时寻求指导
雪上加霜
xuě shàng jiā shuāngAdd insult to injury; make things worse
Literal: Add frost on top of snow
This idiom describes adding (加) frost (霜) on top of (上) snow (雪). Both snow and frost are cold, so adding frost to snow intensifies an already difficult situation. The phrase vividly captures the compounding of misfortunes. It appeared in Song Dynasty poetry describing accumulated hardships. Modern ...
Example
Losing his job when his car broke down was adding frost to snow.
车坏的时候又丢了工作，真是雪上加霜。
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