📖 Meaning
The green seedlings have not yet ripened and the yellow grain from the previous harvest has run out. Originally referring to the gap between old and new grain harvests when food supplies run low. By extension, it describes a shortage where resources, talent, or funds cannot keep up with demand during a transitional period.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Yuan Dianzhang (元典章), a legal compendium compiled during the Yuan Dynasty. It describes the critical period when the old grain harvest has been consumed but the new crops have not yet ripened. The original text notes that during this time of scarcity, grain prices would surge across regions. Over the centuries, the meaning broadened beyond agriculture to describe any situation where supply, personnel, or finances fall short during a transition.
💡 Example Usage
每逢青黄不接之际，粮价便会大幅上涨。
During the period when the old harvest is exhausted and the new one is not yet ripe, grain prices will rise sharply.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 青黄不接
- Pinyin: qīng huáng bù jiē
- Literal Translation: green, yellow, not, connect
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4