📖 Meaning
Literally 'ten thousand households' lanterns and lights.' It refers to the time when evening falls and every household lights up. It also describes the bustling, glittering night scene of a city or town.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Qing dynasty novel 'Niehai Hua' (孽海花) by Zeng Pu, in its eighth chapter, which contains the line 'On the road of ten thousand households' lanterns someone plays the flute, under the five-night stars heaven gambles on wine.' The expression evokes a vivid image of a town at nightfall, with lamps kindled in every home. Over time it became a common poetic description of urban evening scenery. It is frequently used in modern literature and journalism to depict a city's nighttime landscape.
💡 Example Usage
夜幕降临，上海外滩万家灯火，繁华景象令人流连忘返。
As night fell, the Bund in Shanghai was ablaze with ten thousand twinkling lights, a dazzling scene that made one linger.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 万家灯火
- Pinyin: wàn jiā dēng huǒ
- Literal Translation: ten thousand, families, lanterns, fires
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4