📖 Meaning
To pacify the mind and settle the spirit, restoring mental composure and clarity. It describes calming a person's agitated or disturbed state so they can regain peace and rest. The phrase is often used in the context of medicine or remedies that soothe the nerves.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Ming dynasty novel 'Journey to the West' (西游记) by Wu Cheng'en, in its eleventh chapter. After taking a prescription described as an 'soul-settling remedy,' a character slept soundly through the night, demonstrating the formula's calming effect. It also appears in Cao Xueqin's Qing dynasty novel 'Dream of the Red Chamber' (红楼梦), where the matriarch Jia orders a similar remedy. Over time the idiom came to denote any method or treatment that restores inner tranquility.
💡 Example Usage
服下这剂安神定魄的汤药后，她终于安然入睡了。
After taking this soul-settling decoction, she finally fell asleep peacefully.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 安神定魄
- Pinyin: ān shén dìng pò
- Literal Translation: calm, spirit, settle, soul
- Category: Recovery
- Characters: 4