We’re offering free resources to help you learn Chinese. In this series, idioms and proverbs take center stage, known for their deep meanings and versatile usage. Today’s idiom is 「芝焚蕙歎」, explained below.
The featured idiom 「芝焚蕙歎」 is explained here, including its meaning and how to use it.
Zhi and Hui are both names of fragrant herbs; fen means to burn. The zhi grass was burned, and the iris grass sighed sadly. A metaphor for feeling sad because of the misfortune of one’s fellow human beings.
The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :
zhī fén huì tàn
while its Cantonese pinyin is :
ji1 fan4 wai6 taan3
With so many Chinese idioms, each holding diverse meanings and uses, there is much to explore. These materials are designed to support your Chinese language studies.
