📖 Meaning
This idiom describes the scene where the Milky Way has tilted and the moon is descending, signifying that the night is nearly over and dawn is approaching. It is a variant of the idiom '河倾月落'. The imagery uses celestial movements to convey the waning hours of night.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Qing dynasty play '长生殿·偷曲' (The Palace of Eternal Life — Stealing the Melody) by the playwright Hong Sheng (洪昇). In the scene, a character observes that the Milky Way has slanted and the moon is setting, the constellations have shifted, and it is time to go home. The phrase employs the gradual movement of heavenly bodies to depict the deep night giving way to early morning.
💡 Example Usage
直到河斜月落，他才放下手中的书卷。
It was not until the Milky Way slanted and the moon set that he finally put down the book in his hands.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 河斜月落
- Pinyin: hé xié yuè luò
- Literal Translation: Milky Way slants, moon sets
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4