📖 Meaning
A poetic euphemism for death, likening the deceased to someone who has ridden a crane to the heavens and become an immortal being. It conveys a respectful and slightly whimsical tone when referring to someone's passing.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom draws on Daoist mythology, in which immortals are depicted riding cranes to ascend to the celestial realm. The specific phrase appears in Yang Daqun's novel '关东传奇' (Legend of the Northeast), Chapter 54, where a character jokingly uses it to refer to an old man's death. Over time it became a conventional euphemism for passing away.
💡 Example Usage
老太爷去年驾鹤成仙了，家里人都很伤心。
The old master passed away last year, and the whole family was heartbroken.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 驾鹤成仙
- Pinyin: jià hè chéng xiān
- Literal Translation: ride, crane, become, immortal
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4