姹紫嫣红
chà zǐ yān hóng
a riot of colourful flowers; brilliant with colour
Character by character
姹chà
beautiful
beautiful
紫zǐ
purple
purple
嫣yān
lovely
lovely
红hóng
red
red
Example
五月的公园里，鲜花开得姹紫嫣红，引来了不少拍照的人。
In May the park is a riot of colourful flowers, and plenty of people come to take photos.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
From the most famous aria of 《牡丹亭·惊梦》: 原来姹紫嫣红开遍, “so the flowers have bloomed here in all their colours”. 姹 and 嫣 both mean “beautiful”. Said of flowers and gardens in spring, and by extension of a lively, varied scene: 文艺舞台上姹紫嫣红.
Learn this in Lesson 240 · HSK 9+: 昆曲《牡丹亭》 (Kunqu and The Peony Pavilion)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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