红情绿意

hóng qíng lǜ yì
Literal: "red, feeling, green, intention"

📖 Meaning

The phrase personifies the colors of spring, with red flowers expressing passion and green foliage conveying vitality. It describes the vibrant and colorful scenery of springtime, where blooming blossoms and lush greenery together create a rich, lively landscape. The idiom evokes the full sensory beauty of spring's arrival.

📜 Origin Story

This idiom comes from a poem titled 'Yue Chun' (Inviting Spring) by the Northern Song dynasty poet and painter Wen Tong (文同). The poem's line reads, 'How much red passion and green vitality is there? All of it pours into the ten thousand blossoming trees along the Jing River.' Wen Tong was a renowned literatus of the Song era, also famous for his ink bamboo paintings. The phrase captures how the reds and greens of spring seem to pulse with feeling and life.

💡 Example Usage

漫步园中,红情绿意扑面而来,令人心旷神怡。

Strolling through the garden, the vibrant reds and greens of spring greet you at every turn, filling the heart with delight.

🏷️ Category

➕ Similar Idioms

➖ Opposite Idioms

🔤 Quick Facts

  • Chinese: 红情绿意
  • Pinyin: hóng qíng lǜ yì
  • Literal Translation: red, feeling, green, intention
  • Category: Condition
  • Characters: 4