📖 Meaning
This idiom describes a lively scene where various musical instruments are playing simultaneously, creating a rich and bustling atmosphere. It is a variant of the more common idiom '急管繁弦' (urgent pipes and numerous strings), referring to the rapid and layered sounds of a musical ensemble.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom draws from the imagery of traditional Chinese music ensembles, where 'bamboo' refers to wind instruments made of bamboo (such as flutes) and 'silk' refers to stringed instruments (whose strings were traditionally made of silk). The phrase evokes the vibrant soundscape of a full orchestra playing at a brisk tempo. It is closely related to the better-known '急管繁弦,' which appears in Tang dynasty poetry describing festive banquets and musical performances. The variant '急竹繁丝' substitutes 'bamboo' for 'pipe' to directly name the material of the wind instruments.
💡 Example Usage
宴会上急竹繁丝，宾客尽欢而散。
At the banquet, the urgent winds and layered strings filled the air, and all the guests departed thoroughly delighted.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 急竹繁丝
- Pinyin: jí zhú fán sī
- Literal Translation: urgent, bamboo, numerous, silk
- Category: Variety
- Characters: 4