世外桃源
shì wài táo yuán
a hidden paradise; an idyll far from the troubles of the world
Character by character
世shì
world
world
外wài
outside
outside
桃táo
peach
peach
源yuán
spring
spring
Example
这个小山村没有汽车，也没有网络，简直是个世外桃源。
This little mountain village has no cars and no internet: it is a real Shangri-La.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
From 陶渊明’s 《桃花源记》; 桃源 is short for 桃花源. Used of real places (travel writing, property ads) and, critically, of escapist dreams (汉典 marks that sense 贬): 世上哪有什么世外桃源？
Learn this in Lesson 229 · HSK 9+: 课本里的古文 (Classical prose from the school textbook)
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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