世态炎凉
世态炎凉 (shì tài yán liáng) literally means “worldly manners, scorching then cold” and expresses “inconstancy of relationships”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: shi tai yan liang, shi tai yan liang,世态炎凉 meaning, 世态炎凉 in english
Inconstancy of relationships
Pronunciation: shì tài yán liáng Literal meaning: Worldly manners, scorching then cold
Origin & Usage
炎 is scorching and 凉 is cool, and the phrase applies both to the weather of human affairs (世态): warmth while you are useful, coolness when you are not. What it describes is specifically the temperature change around a person whose position has altered — the visitors who stop coming, the calls that go unreturned after a demotion. Chinese literature returns to it constantly, usually from the cold side and usually by someone who has just discovered how many of their friendships were attached to their office rather than to them.
Examples
English: "The harsh realities of life can be quite disheartening"
Chinese: 世态炎凉，让人感到无奈
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
世外桃源
shì wài táo yuán
Perfect peaceful place
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恍如隔世
huǎng rú gé shì
Feeling as if ages have passed
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太平盛世
tài píng shèng shì
Golden age of peace and prosperity
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举世闻名
jǔ shì wén míng
Global recognition
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举世瞩目
jǔ shì zhǔ mù
Global attention
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流芳百世
liú fāng bǎi shì
Enduring good reputation
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 世态炎凉 mean in English?
世态炎凉 (shì tài yán liáng) literally translates to “Worldly manners, scorching then cold” and is used to express “Inconstancy of relationships”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 世态炎凉 used?
Situation: The harsh realities of life can be quite disheartening
What is the pinyin for 世态炎凉?
The pinyin pronunciation for 世态炎凉 is “shì tài yán liáng”.