沧海横流 — “A world in great turmoil”
沧海横流 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a world in great turmoil”. A period of extreme chaos and unrest. Literally, “Vast seas surging across”.
沧海横流 Pronunciation and Pinyin
沧海横流 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 沧海横流
Origin and Story of 沧海横流
During the late Western Jin Dynasty, nomadic tribes such as the Xiongnu rose in rebellion against the Jin dynasty, plunging the land into widespread warfare and chaos. Luoyang, the capital, fell.
Wang Ni, with his son, left their hometown for Jiangnan to escape the calamity. Enduring a arduous journey, he sighed deeply, 'The vast sea surges violently; there is no peace anywhere.'
They sought refuge with Wang Cheng, the Inspector of Jingzhou, in Jiangxia. However, Wang Cheng soon died, and Wang Ni and his son eventually starved to death.
Idioms Related to 沧海横流
Antonyms of 沧海横流
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Open the tool →Questions about 沧海横流
What does 沧海横流 mean?
沧海横流 (cāng hǎi héng liú) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a world in great turmoil”.
How do you pronounce 沧海横流?
沧海横流 is pronounced cāng hǎi héng liú in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 沧海横流 literally mean?
Literally, 沧海横流 means “Vast seas surging across”. It is used to mean “a world in great turmoil”.
Where does 沧海横流 come from?
沧海横流 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 沧海横流?
沧海：指大海；横流：水往四处奔流。海水四处奔流。比喻政治混乱，社会动荡。