📖 Meaning
Literally meaning 'wounds and scars fill the eyes,' this idiom describes a scene where devastation is visible everywhere one looks. It is used to depict places that have been ravaged by war, disaster, or destruction, leaving behind widespread ruin and suffering.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from a poem titled 'Northern Expedition' (北征) by the Tang dynasty poet Du Fu (杜甫). Written during the An Lushan Rebellion, the poem laments the widespread suffering and devastation across the land, with the lines 'Heaven and earth are covered with wounds and scars; when will this sorrow ever end?' The idiom later became a common expression for describing scenes of widespread destruction and hardship.
💡 Example Usage
战火过后，这座古城疮痍满目，百姓流离失所。
After the flames of war, the ancient city was a scene of devastation in every direction, its people displaced and homeless.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 疮痍满目
- Pinyin: chuāng yí mǎn mù
- Literal Translation: wounds, scars, fill, eyes
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4