📖 Meaning
The phrase depicts the gentle chatter of swallows and the melodious song of orioles. It is used to describe the beautiful, vibrant scenery of a flourishing spring day.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom traces back to the Tang dynasty poem "春思" (Spring Thoughts) by the poet Huangfu Ran (皇甫冉), which contains the line "莺啼燕语报新年" — "orioles' songs and swallows' chatter announce the new year." The poetic image of birds signaling the changing season was later condensed into the four-character form. It subsequently became a favored motif in classical poetry and lyric (词) for portraying idyllic spring landscapes.
💡 Example Usage
暮春三月，园中燕语莺啼，一派盎然生机。
In late spring the garden fills with the chatter of swallows and the song of orioles, brimming with vibrant life.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 燕语莺啼
- Pinyin: yàn yǔ yīng tí
- Literal Translation: swallow's words, oriole's song
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4