风吹草动(風吹草動)
风吹草动 (fēng chuī cǎo dòng) literally means “wind blows grass moves”and expresses “react to slightest hint of change or activity”.This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: feng chui cao dong, feng chui cao dong,风吹草动 meaning, 风吹草动 in english
Pronunciation: fēng chuī cǎo dòng Literal meaning: Wind blows grass moves
Origin & Usage
Tang Dynasty military scouts first used this phrase to describe how wind (风) blowing (吹) causes grass (草) to move (动), revealing subtle signs of enemy movement. Song Dynasty officials expanded it to describe political sensitivity to small social changes. The environmental metaphor perfectly captures how minor visible effects can reveal significant hidden causes.
When to Use
Situation: The military command analyzed every minor border incident for signs of potential conflict
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Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
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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落叶归根
luò yè guī gēn
Return to one's roots; go back home
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 风吹草动 mean in English?
风吹草动 (fēng chuī cǎo dòng) literally translates to “Wind blows grass moves”and is used to express “React to slightest hint of change or activity”. This Chinese idiom belongs to theLife Philosophy category..
When is 风吹草动 used?
Situation: The military command analyzed every minor border incident for signs of potential conflict
What is the pinyin for 风吹草动?
The pinyin pronunciation for 风吹草动 is “fēng chuī cǎo dòng”.