鸦雀无声

Pronunciation: yā què wú shēng Literal meaning: Crows and sparrows without sound

Origin & Usage

Neither crow (鸦) nor sparrow (雀) making a sound (无声). The two birds are chosen for being the commonest and least ceremonious noise in a Chinese street — always there, never quiet — so their silence measures the hush better than any statement about people could. What is being reported is a place that has stopped — the moment before a verdict, a hall during an announcement, a classroom that has just worked out the teacher is angry.

Examples

English: "The audience fell completely silent when the speaker began."

Chinese: 演讲者开始时，观众鸦雀无声。