世外桃源
世外桃源 (shì wài táo yuán) literally means “peach spring beyond world” and expresses “perfect peaceful place”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: shi wai tao yuan, shi wai tao yuan,世外桃源 meaning, 世外桃源 in english
Perfect peaceful place
Pronunciation: shì wài táo yuán Literal meaning: Peach spring beyond world
Origin & Usage
Tao Yuanming's account of the peach (桃) blossom spring (源) has a fisherman follow a stream through a grove, squeeze through a gap in the rock and come out among people who fled the wars of Qin: 乃不知有汉，无论魏晋 — they do not know there was a Han, still less Wei and Jin. He is entertained, leaves, marks the route carefully and can never find it again. The phrase names a place outside (外) the world (世), and serves for any refuge from public life, with the story's ending quietly attached: the way back is not findable.
Examples
English: "The remote mountain retreat offered perfect sanctuary from city stress"
Chinese: 偏远的山林度假村为城市压力提供了完美的避难所
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
左右逢源
zuǒ yòu féng yuán
Handle everything with practised ease
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纸醉金迷
zhǐ zuì jīn mí
Decadent luxury lifestyle
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纸上富贵
zhǐ shàng fù guì
Success in theory not reality
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自由自在
zì yóu zì zài
Completely free and unrestrained
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称心如意
chèn xīn rú yì
Perfectly satisfying every expectation
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高枕无忧
gāo zhěn wú yōu
Completely free from worry or concern
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心旷神怡
xīn kuàng shén yí
Feeling carefree and happy
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川流不息
chuān liú bù xī
Continuous flow; never-ending stream
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 世外桃源 mean in English?
世外桃源 (shì wài táo yuán) literally translates to “Peach spring beyond world” and is used to express “Perfect peaceful place”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 世外桃源 used?
Situation: The remote mountain retreat offered perfect sanctuary from city stress
What is the pinyin for 世外桃源?
The pinyin pronunciation for 世外桃源 is “shì wài táo yuán”.
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