万紫千红

Pronunciation: wàn zǐ qiān hóng Literal meaning: Ten thousand purples, thousand reds

Origin & Usage

Zhu Xi's poem on a spring day ends with the line: once you know the face of the east wind, the ten thousand purples (万紫) and thousand reds (千红) are all of them spring. The image is a hillside in flower, and the argument is that the variety is one thing underneath. That double sense survives in use. The phrase describes profusion and diversity together, and it goes to gardens, to festivals and, in official language, to a cultural scene doing well.

Examples

English: "The garden in spring is a riot of colors, showcasing nature's beauty."

Chinese: 春天的花园里万紫千红，展示了大自然的美丽。