📖 Meaning
A heart as pure and clear as ice, untainted by worldly desires. It describes a person of noble moral integrity who remains indifferent to fame, wealth, and personal gain.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from a poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Changling (王昌龄), titled 'Farewell to Xin Jian at Lotus Tower' (《芙蓉楼送辛渐》). While bidding farewell to his friend Xin Jian, the poet wrote the famous line: 'If my relatives and friends in Luoyang ask about me, tell them my heart remains a piece of ice in a jade pot' (洛阳亲友如相问，一片冰心在玉壶). The image of ice inside a jade vessel symbolizes a heart that stays pure and incorruptible no matter the circumstances.
💡 Example Usage
他一生淡泊名利，真是一片冰心。
He remained indifferent to fame and fortune his whole life, truly a heart as pure as ice.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 一片冰心
- Pinyin: yī piàn bīng xīn
- Literal Translation: one, piece, ice, heart
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4