漱石枕流 — “To live as a recluse”

漱石枕流 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to live as a recluse”. To lead a reclusive life in nature, often to escape worldly affairs. Literally, “Rinse mouth with a stone, use a stream as a pillow”.

Frequency

漱石枕流 Pronunciation and Pinyin

漱石枕流 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
漱	shù	14	rinse mouth
石	shí	5	Rock, stone
枕	zhěn	8	pillow or rest head on
流	liú	10	to flow, circulate, or spread

Example Sentence with 漱石枕流

他自幼向往“漱石枕流”的生活，希望能远离尘嚣，回归平静。

From a young age, he yearned for a life of "shù shí zhěn liú," hoping to escape the hustle and bustle and return to tranquility.

Origin and Story of 漱石枕流

Sun Zijing, in his youth, had no desire to become an official and intended to live a reclusive life. He told Wang Wuzi, "I intend to rinse my mouth with a stone and use a stream as a pillow" (漱石枕流).

However, he had actually meant to say "rinse my mouth with a stream and use a stone as a pillow" (漱流枕石). Wang Wuzi was amused and laughed at him for suggesting he would rinse his mouth with stones and use spring water as a pillow.

Sun Zijing, caught off guard, could only argue, "Using spring water as a pillow allows me to wash my ears, and rinsing my mouth with a stone allows me to sharpen my teeth."