📖 Meaning
An elegant classical expression referring to the intimate unions between a man and a woman, especially brief or recurring romantic encounters. It draws on the ancient poetic imagery of clouds and rain, long associated with love and passion in Chinese literature.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from Song dynasty literature, appearing in He Zhu's lyric poem 'Duan Xiang Xian' (断湘弦), which describes lingering intimacy across western towers and southern halls. It also appears in Ye Chang's 'Mo Yu Er · Leaning on the Warm Wind' (摸鱼儿·倚薰风), where wet skirts and mandarin ducks accompany repeated romantic unions. The imagery ultimately echoes the Wushan goddess of Chu, whose cloud-and-rain encounters became a classical metaphor for love.
💡 Example Usage
两人婚后琴瑟和鸣，不必再似从前那般云朝雨暮，反倒多了几分踏实安宁。
After marriage they lived in harmony, no longer chasing the brief romantic encounters of their past, but instead enjoying a deeper, more settled peace.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 云朝雨暮
- Pinyin: yún zhāo yǔ mù
- Literal Translation: clouds, dawn, rain, dusk
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4