📖 Meaning
This idiom describes a scene of fierce wind and driving rain that darkens the sky until it resembles night. It conveys severe, turbulent weather conditions. It can also be used metaphorically for chaotic and troubled circumstances.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from a Tang dynasty tale titled 'Record of the Ancient Mirror' (古镜记), attributed to Wang Du. In the story, the narrator goes out to investigate a tree and encounters a violent storm with howling wind, heavy rain, and pitch-dark skies wrapping around the tree, with lightning flashing wildly up and down. The vivid description of the tempest gave rise to this four-character expression, which has since been used to depict stormy, gloomy weather or metaphorically troubled times.
💡 Example Usage
狂风骤起，风雨晦暝，行人们纷纷躲进路边小店避雨。
The wind suddenly rose, and with wind and rain turning the sky dark as night, pedestrians hurried into roadside shops to take shelter.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 风雨晦暝
- Pinyin: fēng yǔ huì míng
- Literal Translation: wind, rain, dark, dim
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4