諺語 · a single proverb
風聲鶴唳
Simplified: 风声鹤唳
What does 風聲鶴唳 (fēng shēng hè lì) mean?
風聲鶴唳 (fēng shēng hè lì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "the wind sighs and the cranes cry." In use it means: A state of extreme nervousness where every sound seems like an approaching enemy; paralyzing fear and suspicion. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.
Literally: "the wind sighs and the cranes cry."
The reading
After the defeat, every rustle of grass sounded like cavalry. Every crane overhead sounded like a war cry. Fear does this: it turns the whole world into evidence of the thing you dread. The only cure is to stop running long enough to listen clearly.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Book of Jin 晉書, Xie Xuan biography (謝玄傳); Battle of Fei River
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 風聲鶴唳 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 風聲鶴唳 (fēng shēng hè lì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Book of Jin 晉書, Xie Xuan biography (謝玄傳); Battle of Fei River. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 風聲鶴唳?
In Mandarin it is fēng shēng hè lì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 風聲鶴唳 aloud in Mandarin.