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
一波三折
yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Shirk effort by preference
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Push far enough and it turns
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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近水楼台
jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Advantage from close connections
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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因果报应
yīn guǒ bào yìng
Good and evil deeds repaid in kind
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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”.