枕流漱石
枕流漱石 (zhěn liú shù shí) literally means “pillow stream rinse stone” and expresses “live as a recluse in the wild”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: zhen liu shu shi, zhen liu shu shi,枕流漱石 meaning, 枕流漱石 in english
Live as a recluse in the wild
Pronunciation: zhěn liú shù shí Literal meaning: Pillow stream rinse stone
Origin & Usage
Sun Chu, meaning to say he would pillow on stones and rinse in the stream (枕石漱流) — the standard image of the recluse — got it out backwards as pillowing on the stream (枕流) and rinsing with stones (漱石). Asked by Wang Ji how a stream could be a pillow or a stone a mouthwash, he answered without pausing: he pillowed on the current to wash out his ears, and rinsed with stone to sharpen his teeth. The New Account of Tales of the World keeps the exchange. Both forms are now current, and the phrase carries a flavour of the quick save as much as of reclusion.
Examples
English: "The researcher lived modestly while dedicating everything to her discoveries"
Chinese: 研究员过着简朴的生活，把一切都投入到研究发现中
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
枕石漱流
zhěn shí shù liú
Live as a recluse in the wild
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纸上谈兵
zhǐ shàng tán bīng
All theory no practice
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东施效颦
dōng shī xiào pín
Failed imitation lacking understanding
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蚁穴坏堤
yǐ xué huài dī
Small problems cause disaster
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夸夸其谈
kuā kuā qí tán
All talk no substance
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口干舌燥
kǒu gān shé zào
Exhausted from excessive talking
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差强人意
chā qiáng rén yì
Broadly satisfactory, better than feared
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高枕无忧
gāo zhěn wú yōu
Completely free from worry or concern
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 枕流漱石 mean in English?
枕流漱石 (zhěn liú shù shí) literally translates to “Pillow stream rinse stone” and is used to express “Live as a recluse in the wild”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 枕流漱石 used?
Situation: The researcher lived modestly while dedicating everything to her discoveries
What is the pinyin for 枕流漱石?
The pinyin pronunciation for 枕流漱石 is “zhěn liú shù shí”.
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