📖 Meaning
A metaphor for an idealized, secluded place far from the troubles of the real world. It describes a utopian haven where people live in peace and harmony, free from society's chaos and strife.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom comes from Tao Yuanming's famous prose piece "Peach Blossom Spring" (桃花源记), written during the Eastern Jin dynasty (4th century CE). The story tells of a fisherman who stumbles upon a hidden valley bursting with peach blossoms, where descendants of people who fled the Qin dynasty's tyranny have lived in blissful isolation for generations, unaware of the dynastic changes above. When the fisherman leaves and tries to return, the valley can never be found again.
💡 Example Usage
这座隐藏在深山中的小村庄，宛如世外桃源，远离了城市的喧嚣与纷扰。
This small village hidden deep in the mountains is like a paradise beyond the worldly realm, far removed from the noise and turmoil of the city.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 世外桃源
- Pinyin: shì wài táo yuán
- Literal Translation: world, outside, peach, source
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4