📖 Meaning
The mournful cries of apes and the shrill calls of cranes echo through a desolate wilderness. It paints a scene of bleak isolation, often evoking sorrow, loneliness, or an eerie, haunting atmosphere. The idiom is used to describe a place so remote and forlorn that only the sounds of wild creatures break the silence.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from Chapter 53 of the Ming dynasty classic 'Water Margin' (水浒传) by Shi Nai'an. The passage describes a rugged, imposing mountain landscape where Gongsun Sheng practices Taoist arts. The original text reads: '两崖分虎踞龙盘，四面有猿啼鹤唳' — meaning the cliffs on both sides were like crouching tigers and coiling dragons, while all around echoed the wails of apes and the cries of cranes. The phrase captures the untamed, solemn grandeur of the wilderness setting.
💡 Example Usage
古战场上一片荒凉，唯有猿啼鹤唳，令人毛骨悚然。
The ancient battlefield lay desolate, with only the wails of apes and cries of cranes sending chills down one's spine.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 猿啼鹤唳
- Pinyin: yuán tí hè lì
- Literal Translation: ape, cry, crane, wail
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4