西窗剪烛 — “West window trimming candle wick”
西窗剪烛 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to long for a reunion with a loved one or close friends, especially after a long separation, and to share intimate conversations; to anticipate or engage in a quiet, heartfelt chat by lamplight, reminiscing about the past or discussing the future”. Literally, “West window trimming candle wick”.
西窗剪烛 Pronunciation and Pinyin
西窗剪烛 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 西窗剪烛
Origin and Story of 西窗剪烛
During the Tang Dynasty, the renowned poet Li Shangyin served as an aide to Liu Zhongying, the Military Commissioner of Dongchuan. Sichuan, where he was stationed, was famous for its frequent rain and fog, often experiencing continuous drizzly weather.
Far from home, as he faced the autumn rain late at night in profound silence, he was overcome with nostalgia and longing for his wife. This deep emotion inspired him to compose the famous poem "Night Rain Sent to the North," which includes the lines: "You ask when I will return, but there is no set date; the autumn pond overflows with the night rain in Bashan. When shall we trim the candle by the west window together, and speak again of the night rain in Bashan?"
This poem captures his yearning for a quiet, intimate reunion with his wife, chatting late into the night.
Idioms Related to 西窗剪烛
Synonyms of 西窗剪烛
More idioms starting with 西
- xī西tái台tòng痛kū哭weep bitterly over national catastrophe
- xī西zǐ子pěng捧xīn心A pained beauty's enhanced allure
- xī西xué学dōng东jiàn渐Western learning spreading eastward
- xī西shān山rì日báo薄approaching end or severe decline
- xī西shān山rì日pò迫nearing the end of life or decay
- xī西shān山è饿fū夫steadfast integrity and defiance
- xī西shì市cháo朝yī衣loyal official unjustly executed
- xī西fāng方jìng净guó国Western Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha
- xī西fāng方jìng净tǔ土Buddhist Western Paradise or Pure Land
- xī西shī施pěng捧xīn心a beauty's pained expression enhances her charm
- xī西wāi歪dōng东dào倒swaying unsteadily
- xī西hé河zhī之tòng痛profound grief over loss of son
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Open the tool →Questions about 西窗剪烛
What does 西窗剪烛 mean?
西窗剪烛 (xī chuāng jiǎn zhú) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to long for a reunion with a loved one or close friends, especially after a long separation, and to share intimate conversations; to anticipate or engage in a quiet, heartfelt chat by lamplight, reminiscing about the past or discussing the future”.
How do you pronounce 西窗剪烛?
西窗剪烛 is pronounced xī chuāng jiǎn zhú in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 西窗剪烛 literally mean?
Literally, 西窗剪烛 means “West window trimming candle wick”. It is used to mean “to long for a reunion with a loved one or close friends, especially after a long separation, and to share intimate conversations; to anticipate or engage in a quiet, heartfelt chat by lamplight, reminiscing about the past or discussing the future”.
Where does 西窗剪烛 come from?
西窗剪烛 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 西窗剪烛?
原指思念远方妻子，盼望相聚夜语。后泛指亲友聚谈。