名噪一时

名噪一時

míngzàoyīshí

idiom #51,509

Meanings

1 to be famous for a time
2 to enjoy a brief blaze of fame
3 (often) a temporary or fleeting celebrity

Characters

name; reputation

to make a stir; clamor

Examples

这位歌手曾经名噪一时，如今已少有人提起。

Zhè wèi gēshǒu céngjīng míng zào yī shí, rújīn yǐ shǎo yǒu rén tíqǐ.

This singer was once famous everywhere; few people mention him now.

那个发明在上世纪七十年代名噪一时。

Nà ge fāmíng zài shàng shìjì qīshí niándài míng zào yī shí.

That invention was a sensation in the 1970s.

他凭借一篇文章名噪一时，但很快被人遗忘。

Tā píngjiè yì piān wénzhāng míng zào yī shí, dàn hěn kuài bèi rén yíwàng.

A single article made him briefly famous, but he was soon forgotten.

Tips

history

From Shen Defu's 《万历野获编》 (late Ming): two literati arrive in the capital and 名噪一时 — their reputations make a sudden splash. The 'temporary' overtone was there from the start.

mistakes

Don't use this for someone who's been famous for decades — 一时 (yī shí, 'for a time') strongly implies the fame was short-lived. For sustained reputation, use 名扬天下 or 久负盛名.

Stroke Order

名 míng

噪 zào

一 yī

时 shí