眉飞色舞

Pronunciation: méi fēi sè wǔ Literal meaning: Eyebrows fly, expression dances

Origin & Usage

Eyebrows (眉) flying (飞) and the colour of the face (色) dancing (舞). Both verbs are for things that leave the ground, and the phrase is specifically about animation while talking: the features are moving faster than composure would normally allow. Chinese uses it of somebody describing their own subject — the hobby, the trip, the team — and it is affectionate. It is also the standard way of noting that a speaker has stopped reporting and started enjoying themselves.

Examples

English: "He described his adventure with animated enthusiasm."

Chinese: 他眉飞色舞地描述着自己的冒险经历。