📖 Meaning
This idiom describes a great multitude of people gathering together in one place. It evokes the imagery of clouds massing in the sky and ants swarming on the ground, conveying sheer density of a crowd.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Yuan dynasty playwright Ke Danqiu's (柯丹邱) southern drama The Thorn Hairpin (《荆钗记》), specifically the scene titled 'Spring Examinations.' In the play, the imperial examination draws scholars from across the realm, described as gathering like clouds and ants. The vivid metaphor compares talented men converging on the capital to the natural clustering of clouds above and ants below, emphasizing their overwhelming numbers.
💡 Example Usage
每逢科举之年，各地士子云屯蚁聚于京城。
In every examination year, scholars from all regions would converge on the capital in vast numbers.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 云屯蚁聚
- Pinyin: yún tún yǐ jù
- Literal Translation: clouds gather, ants assemble
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4