📖 Meaning
The mountains are bright and the waters are beautiful. It describes scenery of outstanding natural beauty and picturesque landscapes.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from a ci poem by the Song dynasty poet Huang Tingjian (黄庭坚), titled 'Moshanxi - Presented to Chen Xiang of Hengyang' (《蓦山溪·赠衡阳陈湘》). In the poem, Huang compares a woman's lovely eyebrows to autumn waves and describes the Hunan landscape as having bright mountains and beautiful waters. Over time, the phrase evolved into a common idiom used to praise picturesque natural scenery.
💡 Example Usage
这个小村庄山明水秀，风景宜人，吸引了许多游客前来观光。
This small village, with its bright mountains and beautiful waters and pleasant scenery, attracts many tourists.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 山明水秀
- Pinyin: shān míng shuǐ xiù
- Literal Translation: mountain bright, water elegant
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4