📖 Meaning
Literally describing bizarre rain and blinding wind, this idiom refers to a fierce and sudden storm. It is used metaphorically to depict a swift, violent, and intense struggle or turmoil.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from a Song dynasty ci poem by Liu Kezhuang titled 'Man Jiang Hong,' written to send off his friend Bochang. In the poem, Liu uses the imagery of strange rain and blinding wind to describe the harsh conditions that could not detain his friend's departure by the river. Over time, the phrase came to symbolize any rapid and fierce upheaval, whether natural or social.
💡 Example Usage
黄昏蜃气忽成楼，怪雨盲风引客舟。
At dusk the mirage suddenly formed a tower, as strange rain and blinding wind drove the traveler's boat onward.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 怪雨盲风
- Pinyin: guài yǔ máng fēng
- Literal Translation: strange rain, blind wind
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4