水碧山青

shuǐ bì shān qīng
Literal: "water, jade-green, mountain, verdant"

📖 Meaning

Describes scenery where the water is jade-green and the mountains are verdant. It evokes a picturesque landscape of striking natural beauty. The idiom paints an image of lush, vivid surroundings.

📜 Origin Story

This is a descriptive compound idiom with no single definitive literary origin. It pairs two natural elements—water and mountains—with the color green to convey scenic beauty. Such parallel descriptive phrases appear throughout classical Chinese poetry and prose. A variant form, '水绿山青' (water green, mountain green), conveys the same imagery. The idiom reflects the traditional Chinese aesthetic appreciation of harmonious landscapes.

💡 Example Usage

漫步在这片水碧山青的乡村,令人心旷神怡。

Strolling through this countryside of jade-green waters and verdant hills, one feels relaxed and happy.

🏷️ Category

➕ Similar Idioms

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🔤 Quick Facts

  • Chinese: 水碧山青
  • Pinyin: shuǐ bì shān qīng
  • Literal Translation: water, jade-green, mountain, verdant
  • Category: Quality
  • Characters: 4