10 Chinese Idioms About Heartbreak & Lost Love

Surrounded by hostility

Literal meaning: Chu songs from four sides

This poignant idiom originates from the final battle of Xiang Yu in 202 BCE. Surrounded by Han forces at Gaixia, Xiang Yu heard songs (歌) from his homeland of Chu being sung from all four sides (四面), indicating his own people had surrendered to Liu Bang. The psychological warfare strategy proved dev...

Open threats easier than hidden

Literal meaning: Bright spear easy dodge

In ancient Chinese warfare, a visible (明) spear (枪) was considered easy (易) to dodge (躲). This military wisdom emerged from the Spring and Autumn period, when straightforward attacks were less feared than hidden strategies. The idiom gained prominence through historical chronicles describing how ski...

Feel overwhelmed by greatness

Literal meaning: Gaze at ocean sigh deeply

This idiom captures the feeling of gazing (望) at the vast ocean (洋) and responding with deep sighs (兴叹) of awe or resignation. It originated from the Qin Dynasty, reportedly from Jing Ke's reaction upon seeing the eastern sea before his assassination attempt on the future First Emperor. The phrase g...

Deeply and permanently affected

Literal meaning: Carve bone inscribe heart

This profound idiom describes experiences so intense they seem carved (刻) into one's bones (骨) and inscribed (铭) in the heart (心), emerging from Han Dynasty ancestral worship practices, where important family events were literally carved into bone tokens for remembrance. The phrase gained emotional ...

Brief, fleeting appearance

Literal meaning: Night flower appears once

This botanical idiom refers to the epiphyllum or night-blooming cereus (昙花) that appears/blooms (现) just once (一) briefly, originating from Buddhist texts of the Tang Dynasty. Monks used this rare flower, which blooms for a single night before wilting, as a metaphor for the impermanence of worldly p...

Actions cannot be undone

Literal meaning: Spilled water hard to recover

This irreversible idiom states that water once spilled (覆水) is difficult (难) to gather back (收), originating from Tang Dynasty poetry. It first appeared in a poem about irrevocable separation between husband and wife, comparing their relationship to water impossible to return to its container once p...

To eagerly await someone or something

Literal meaning: Gazing through autumn waters

This idiom originates from Tang Dynasty poetry, where 'autumn waters' (秋水) was a literary metaphor for bright, clear eyes. The phrase describes looking so intently and longingly that one's gaze seems to pierce through clear autumn waters. It gained prominence through the works of poet Wang Bo and la...

Everlasting; eternal

Literal meaning: Heaven is long, earth is lasting

This idiom derives from Chapter 7 of the Daoist classic 'Tao Te Ching' (道德经) by Laozi: 'Heaven and earth are long-lasting.' The phrase uses the eternal nature of heaven (天) and earth (地) as metaphors for permanence and durability. It gained romantic connotations through Tang Dynasty poetry, particul...

Look worried and unhappy

Literal meaning: Worried brows, bitter face

This idiom describes worried (愁) brows (眉) and a bitter (苦) face (脸). It depicts the physical manifestation of anxiety and unhappiness in facial expression. The furrowed brow and downturned expression signal distress. Modern usage describes visible worry or displeasure, someone whose face clearly sh...

Help each other in adversity

Literal meaning: Moisten each other with foam

This idiom describes moistening each other (相濡) with foam (以沫). From Zhuangzi's parable of fish in a drying pond who keep each other alive by sharing their foam. Though Zhuangzi suggested freedom was better, the phrase came to represent devoted mutual support during hardship. Modern usage describes ...