12 Chinese Idioms About Wind (风)

Share hardships together

Literal meaning: Share boat in wind and rain

Closely related to '同舟共济' but with added emotional depth, this idiom evokes sharing a boat (同舟) amid wind (风) and rain (雨). It first appeared in Song Dynasty poetry describing political allies weathering court intrigues together. The imagery draws from the experiences of river travelers who formed d...

Gentle, nurturing influence

Literal meaning: Spring wind becomes rain

This poetic metaphor traces back to the Han Dynasty's educational philosophy, where ideal teaching was compared to spring winds (春风) transforming into nurturing rain (化雨). The imagery draws from agricultural wisdom – spring breezes and gentle rains nurture plants without forcing growth. Scholar Han ...

Overly fearful and suspicious

Literal meaning: Wind sound crane call

Dating back to the Jin Dynasty (265-420 CE), this idiom emerged from the aftermath of the Battle of Fei River. The defeated army became so paranoid that they mistook every wind (风) sound (声) and crane's (鹤) cry (唳) for enemy movements. The image draws from the watchful nature of cranes, known in Chi...

Perfect timing and conditions

Literal meaning: Golden wind jade dew

This poetic idiom pairs golden (金) autumn wind (风) with jade-like (玉) dew (露), dating from Tang Dynasty nature poetry. It captures the crystalline clarity of fall mornings when the first cool breezes meet with early dew, traditionally considered the most beautiful moments of the year. The combinatio...

Sudden dramatic change

Literal meaning: Wind cloud sudden change

This dramatic idiom captures the sudden (突) change (变) in wind (风) and clouds (云), drawing from ancient Chinese meteorological observations. Originated during the Tang Dynasty in military texts describing battlefield conditions, it reflects the Chinese understanding of natural forces as omens. The s...

Perfect moment of opportunity

Literal meaning: Wind cloud gather meeting

Drawing from ancient Chinese cosmology, this idiom describes the dramatic moment when wind (风) and clouds (云) gather (际会) before a momentous change. The imagery comes from astronomical observations recorded during the Zhou Dynasty, where such atmospheric phenomena were seen as heavenly omens. Histor...

Boundless natural beauty and romance

Literal meaning: Wind moon without boundaries

This aesthetic idiom celebrates how the beauty of wind (风) and moon (月) extends without (无) boundaries (边), originating from Tang Dynasty poetry. It first appeared in verses describing transcendent natural beauty that seemed to expand beyond physical limits. The specific pairing of wind and moon rep...

Persist despite difficult conditions

Literal meaning: Wind rain no hindrance

This determined idiom states that wind (风) and rain (雨) present no (无) obstacle (阻), originating from Han Dynasty courier service standards. Historical records describe how imperial postal systems maintained operation regardless of weather conditions, ensuring communication across the vast empire. D...

At peak of youth's ability

Literal meaning: Prime of youth and vigor

This idiom emerged during the Song Dynasty, capturing the moment when one's elegant bearing (风华) is at its flourishing prime (正茂). It gained prominence in literary circles describing promising young scholars whose abilities were beginning to flourish. During the Ming Dynasty, court officials adopted...

Wielding extraordinary influence over others

Literal meaning: Summon wind, call rain

Ancient shamanistic traditions gave us this image of summoning wind (呼风) and calling rain (唤雨). Tang Dynasty writers transformed it from literal weather control to metaphorical influence over events. The meteorological metaphor perfectly captured the ability to affect natural forces, representing ex...

Make accusations without solid evidence

Literal meaning: Catch wind grasp shadow

Tang Dynasty Buddhist texts warn of the futility of trying to catch wind (捕风) and grasp shadows (捉影). Song Dynasty philosophers transformed this spiritual metaphor into a powerful critique of baseless accusations and insubstantial evidence. Ming Dynasty legal scholars particularly favored it when co...

Boldly forge ahead through adversity

Literal meaning: Ride wind break waves

Li Bai's bold verse from the Tang Dynasty - 'Straight ahead, ride the wind (乘风) and break through waves (破浪)' - gave us this dynamic image of progress through adversity. Originally maritime terminology, Song Dynasty writers transformed it into a broader metaphor for advancement through challenges. T...