如火如荼
如火如荼 (rú huǒ rú tú) literally means “like fire, like white flowers” and expresses “intense and vigorous”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: ru huo ru tu, ru huo ru tu,如火如荼 meaning, 如火如荼 in english
Intense and vigorous
Pronunciation: rú huǒ rú tú Literal meaning: Like fire, like white flowers
Origin & Usage
Before an assembly of the states, the king of Wu drew up his army in three enormous blocks and marched them out at dawn: one all in white with white banners and armour, so that from a distance the field looked like (如) reed-flowers (荼) in bloom, and one all in red, which looked like fire (火). The Discourses of the States records that the Jin delegation conceded precedence without a fight. The phrase now describes an activity at full pitch and full visibility, and it has kept the sense of spectacle as well as intensity.
Examples
English: "The debate was intense and passionate, with each side presenting their arguments fervently."
Chinese: 这场辩论如火如荼，双方都热情洋溢地表达观点。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
如坐针毡
rú zuò zhēn zhān
Extreme discomfort
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黄粱一梦
huáng liáng yī mèng
Ephemeral dreams
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揭竿而起
jiē gān ér qǐ
Grassroots uprising
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朝三暮四
zhāo sān mù sì
Fickle and inconsistent
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惊弓之鸟
jīng gōng zhī niǎo
Fear from past trauma
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临渊羡鱼
lín yuān xiàn yú
Act, don't just dream
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门可罗雀
mén kě luó què
Deserted; hardly a visitor
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饮鸩止渴
yǐn zhèn zhǐ kě
Short-sighted solution
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 如火如荼 mean in English?
如火如荼 (rú huǒ rú tú) literally translates to “Like fire, like white flowers” and is used to express “Intense and vigorous”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 如火如荼 used?
Situation: The debate was intense and passionate, with each side presenting their arguments fervently.
What is the pinyin for 如火如荼?
The pinyin pronunciation for 如火如荼 is “rú huǒ rú tú”.