Helping you learn Chinese for free is our aim. This idiom and proverb series offers phrases with great depth and versatility. Let’s look at 「集螢映雪」 and how to use it.
This introduction highlights the idiom 「集螢映雪」, with its meaning and examples explained below.
Collecting fireflies: Che Yin of Jin Dynasty was poor when he was young, so he used a silk bag to collect fireflies to read in summer; Reflecting the snow: Sun Kang of Jin Dynasty often read by reflecting the snow in winter. Describes a person who comes from a poor family and studies hard.
The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :
jí yíng yìng xuě
while its Cantonese pinyin is :
jaap6 ying4 ying2 syut3
Chinese idioms encompass an enormous variety, each rich in its meanings and uses. We’ve compiled these resources to support your efforts in learning the language.
