风雨飘摇

fēng yǔ piāo yáo

tossed by storms; tottering, precarious

Character by character

风fēng
wind

雨yǔ
rain

飘piāo
drift

摇yáo
sway

清朝末年，国家风雨飘摇，百姓的日子越来越难过。

In the last years of the Qing the country was tottering, and ordinary people’s lives grew harder and harder.

Tone: neutral.

From the 《诗经》, where a bird’s nest is shaken by wind and rain. Used of regimes, firms or families on the brink: 风雨飘摇的旧中国.

Learn this in Lesson 221 · HSK 9+: 老舍的《茶馆》 (Lao She’s Teahouse and the Beijing voice)

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.