📖 Meaning
A Daoist and poetic expression describing immortals or hermits who abstain from eating the five grains, sustaining themselves by inhaling wind and drinking dew. It conveys a transcendent, ethereal lifestyle detached from worldly nourishment and concerns.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the 'Xiaoyao You' (Free and Easy Wandering) chapter of Zhuangzi, a foundational Daoist text from the Warring States period by Zhuang Zhou. It describes a divine being residing on the remote Guyao Mountain who eats no grains but instead inhales wind and drinks dew. This image became an enduring symbol of Daoist transcendence, purity, and the pursuit of immortality.
💡 Example Usage
修道之人隐居深山，吸风饮露，以求长生。
The hermit dwelt deep in the mountains, inhaling wind and drinking dew in pursuit of immortality.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 吸风饮露
- Pinyin: xī fēnɡ yǐn lù
- Literal Translation: inhale wind, drink dew
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4