📖 Meaning
Refers to a child's deep longing and gratitude toward their mother. The phrase evokes the imagery of a cold spring that nourishes the land, symbolizing maternal hardship and devotion. It is used to express filial yearning and remembrance of a mother's sacrifices.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Classic of Poetry (诗经), specifically the Ode 'Kai Feng' (凯风) in the Bei Feng section, dating to the early Zhou dynasty (c. 11th–7th century BCE). The poem describes a cold spring flowing beneath the city of Xun, providing nourishment, and mentions seven sons whose mother endured great hardship. The cold spring became a metaphor for maternal devotion, and '寒泉之思' came to denote a child's tender longing for their mother.
💡 Example Usage
每逢母亲节，远方游子总会涌起寒泉之思，感念母亲养育之恩。
Every Mother's Day, wanderers far from home feel a deep longing for their mother, grateful for her nurturing care.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 寒泉之思
- Pinyin: hán quán zhī sī
- Literal Translation: cold, spring, of, longing
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4