諺語 · a single proverb
落花流水
What does 落花流水 (luò huā liú shuǐ) mean?
落花流水 (luò huā liú shuǐ) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "fallen petals, flowing water." In use it means: Things in a state of utter defeat or disintegration; beauty departing without return. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.
Literally: "fallen petals, flowing water."
The reading
The petal that has left the branch does not return to it, and the current that carries it does not circle back. Some departures are total and some endings are not followed by beginnings. The willingness to name a thing finished, even a beautiful thing, is its own form of dignity.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Tang Dynasty 唐·李煜詞 (Lǐ Yù Cí, Li Yu lyric poetry)
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 Nature, Seasons & Health, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Rabbit.
Questions
Is 落花流水 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 落花流水 (luò huā liú shuǐ) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Tang Dynasty 唐·李煜詞 (Lǐ Yù Cí, Li Yu lyric poetry). 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 落花流水?
In Mandarin it is luò huā liú shuǐ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 落花流水 aloud in Mandarin.