雨后春笋

Pronunciation: yǔ hòu chūn sǔn Literal meaning: Bamboo shoots after spring rain

Origin & Usage

Bamboo shoots (春笋) after (后) rain (雨). The observation is accurate rather than poetic: moso bamboo shoots can put on a great deal of height in a day once the spring rain arrives, and a grove that was bare will be full of them within a week. So the phrase claims speed and number together, and specifically the kind that appears without anyone planting anything. Start-ups, coffee shops and copycat products.

Examples

English: "Tech startups are emerging rapidly like bamboo shoots after rain."

Chinese: 科技初创公司如雨后春笋般涌现。