📖 Meaning
Joy departs and sorrow arrives. The idiom describes the inevitable transition from happiness to sadness, reflecting how joyful moments are fleeting and grief follows in their wake.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom is a classical Chinese expression without a single definitive literary source. It embodies the traditional philosophical view that joy and sorrow are cyclical and inseparable forces in human life. The parallel structure of the four characters follows the conventional pattern of ancient Chinese idioms that warn against excessive attachment to pleasure. Its sentiment recurs throughout Chinese poetry and prose across multiple dynasties.
💡 Example Usage
狂欢过后，乐往哀来，众人皆沉默不语。
After the revelry ended, joy gave way to sorrow, and everyone fell silent.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 乐往哀来
- Pinyin: lè wǎng āi lái
- Literal Translation: joy passes, sorrow arrives
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4