📖 Meaning
Describes a horse running with extraordinary speed, as if chasing the wind and treading on shadows. It is a variant of the idiom 追风蹑景. The phrase conveys legendary swiftness and agility.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Ming dynasty playwright Mei Dingzuo's work 'Yuhe Ji' (The Jade Box Tale), specifically the scene titled 'Gifts and Farewells' (赠处). In the passage, a fine horse is praised for its bamboo-slit ears and mirror-like square pupils, described as a magnificent steed that chases the wind and treads on shadows. The author uses the vivid imagery to convey the horse's peerless speed and grace.
💡 Example Usage
那匹白马追风蹑影，转眼间便跑到了山顶。
That white horse, swift as wind and shadow, reached the mountaintop in the blink of an eye.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 追风蹑影
- Pinyin: zhuī fēng niè yǐng
- Literal Translation: chase wind, tread shadow
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4