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
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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