📖 Meaning
The cries of orioles and the chatter of swallows. It vividly describes the beautiful scenery of spring, when birds sing and the season is at its finest. The idiom evokes the lively, harmonious sounds of nature in springtime.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from a Tang Dynasty poem titled 'Spring Thoughts' (春思) by the poet Huangfu Ran (皇甫冉). The line reads: 'Orioles cry and swallows chatter announcing the new year, while the road to Mayi and Longdui stretches thousands of li.' The poem contrasts the joyful arrival of spring at home with the distant, perilous frontier where a loved one serves. Over time, the phrase came to represent the idyllic beauty of spring.
💡 Example Usage
春风送暖，莺啼燕语，江南的田野一片生机盎然。
As the spring breeze brings warmth and orioles sing while swallows chatter, the fields of Jiangnan are brimming with vitality.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 莺啼燕语
- Pinyin: yīng tí yàn yǔ
- Literal Translation: oriole, cry, swallow, speak
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4