沉鱼落雁(沉魚落雁)
沉鱼落雁 (chén yú luò yàn) literally means “sink fish fall geese”and expresses “beauty so stunning it affects natural world”.This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom & learning.
Also searched as: chen yu luo yan, chen yu luo yan,沉鱼落雁 meaning, 沉鱼落雁 in english
Pronunciation: chén yú luò yàn Literal meaning: Sink fish fall geese
Origin & Usage
Han Dynasty legends tell of beauty so extraordinary it caused fish to sink (沉鱼) and flying geese to descend (落雁). The phrase combines two legendary beauties: Xi Shi, whose reflection mesmerized fish into forgetting to swim, and Wang Zhaojun, whose appearance caused migrating geese to pause mid-flight. The power of beauty to disrupt even natural behavior suggested an almost supernatural level of impact. Modern usage describes beauty that creates an immediate, profound impact beyond mere aesthetic appreciation.
When to Use
Situation: The legendary beauty attracted admiring glances wherever she appeared
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Related Chinese Idioms
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得心应手
dé xīn yìng shǒu
Work with great ease; have complete mastery
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驾轻就熟
jià qīng jiù shú
Be very familiar with; handle with expertise
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轻车熟路
qīng chē shú lù
Be experienced; find something easy due to familiarity
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游刃有余
yóu rèn yǒu yú
Handle with ease; have skill to spare
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chéng zhú zài xiōng
Have a well-thought-out plan; be confident
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适可而止
shì kě ér zhǐ
Stop at the right point; practice moderation
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见好就收
jiàn hǎo jiù shōu
Quit while ahead; take profits
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急流勇退
jí liú yǒng tuì
Retire at the peak; know when to quit
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 沉鱼落雁 mean in English?
沉鱼落雁 (chén yú luò yàn) literally translates to “Sink fish fall geese”and is used to express “Beauty so stunning it affects natural world”. This Chinese idiom belongs to theWisdom & Learning category..
When is 沉鱼落雁 used?
Situation: The legendary beauty attracted admiring glances wherever she appeared
What is the pinyin for 沉鱼落雁?
The pinyin pronunciation for 沉鱼落雁 is “chén yú luò yàn”.
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