风靡一时(風靡一時)
风靡一时 (fēng mǐ yī shí) literally means “wind bending grass for a time”and expresses “extremely popular for a time”.This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: feng mi yi shi, feng mi yi shi,风靡一时 meaning, 风靡一时 in english
Pronunciation: fēng mǐ yī shí Literal meaning: Wind bending grass for a time
Origin & Usage
This idiom uses the image of wind (风) bending (靡) grass for a period (一时) to describe widespread popularity. The metaphor of grass uniformly bending before wind captures how trends sweep through populations. The phrase acknowledges that such popularity, while impressive, is typically temporary. It appeared in historical texts describing fashions and fads in different eras. Modern usage describes phenomena that achieve massive but often short-lived popularity, from songs to products to ideas.
When to Use
Situation: That song was hugely popular for a season.
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Related Chinese Idioms
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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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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 风靡一时 mean in English?
风靡一时 (fēng mǐ yī shí) literally translates to “Wind bending grass for a time”and is used to express “Extremely popular for a time”. This Chinese idiom belongs to theLife Philosophy category..
When is 风靡一时 used?
Situation: That song was hugely popular for a season.
What is the pinyin for 风靡一时?
The pinyin pronunciation for 风靡一时 is “fēng mǐ yī shí”.