📖 Meaning
Literally 'swallow companions and oriole mates.' It metaphorically refers to young female companions, or more commonly, to a pair of young lovers deeply devoted to each other, evoking the image of beautiful birds paired together in spring.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Yuan dynasty poet Xu Yan's work 'Ten Odes of the Blue House — A Light Drink' (青楼十咏·小酌), which reads: 'Form eternal phoenix bonds with phoenix friends, spend this life as swallow companions and oriole mates.' Swallows and orioles, both graceful birds associated with springtime and romance, were used to symbolize loving young couples. The idiom later became a poetic way to describe devoted pairs of young lovers.
💡 Example Usage
这对新人青梅竹马，堪称燕侣莺俦，令人羡慕不已。
This couple have known each other since childhood and make a devoted pair of young lovers, which fills everyone with admiration.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 燕侣莺俦
- Pinyin: yàn lǚ yīng chóu
- Literal Translation: swallow, companion, oriole, mate
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4