心旷神怡
心旷神怡 (xīn kuàng shén yí) literally means “heart expansive spirit delighted” and expresses “feeling carefree and happy”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: xin kuang shen yi, xin kuang shen yi,心旷神怡 meaning, 心旷神怡 in english
Feeling carefree and happy
Pronunciation: xīn kuàng shén yí
Literal meaning: Heart expansive spirit delighted
Origin & Usage
This idiom describes a state where the heart (心) feels expansive (旷) and the spirit (神) delighted (怡). It comes from Fan Zhongyan's famous Song Dynasty essay 'Memorial to Yueyang Tower,' describing the emotional effect of beautiful scenery. The phrase captures the Chinese aesthetic ideal of harmony between person and environment. It represents a moment of perfect contentment when cares dissolve and the spirit expands. Modern usage describes the refreshing effect of natural beauty, satisfying experiences, or moments of perfect peace.
Examples
English: "The mountain view made her feel refreshed and at ease."
Chinese: 山景让她心旷神怡。
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Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
一帆风顺
yī fān fēng shùn
Plain sailing; everything going smoothly
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千里迢迢
qiān lǐ tiáo tiáo
Travel a great distance
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民富国强
mín fù guó qiáng
Prosperous people and powerful nation
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国泰民安
guó tài mín ān
National peace and public security
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太平盛世
tài píng shèng shì
Golden age of peace and prosperity
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四海升平
sì hǎi shēng píng
Peace everywhere; universal harmony
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安土重迁
ān tǔ zhòng qiān
Prefer stability; reluctant to relocate
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故土难离
gù tǔ nán lí
Hard to leave one's homeland
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 心旷神怡 mean in English?
心旷神怡 (xīn kuàng shén yí) literally translates to “Heart expansive spirit delighted” and is used to express “Feeling carefree and happy”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 心旷神怡 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving feeling carefree and happy.
What is the pinyin for 心旷神怡?
The pinyin pronunciation for 心旷神怡 is “xīn kuàng shén yí”.