天街小雨润如酥

天街小雨潤如酥
tiān jiē xiǎo yǔ rùn rú sū
quotation

Meanings

  1. 1 the fine rain on the capital's avenues is moistening like butter
  2. 2 a light spring drizzle in the imperial city, smooth as soft cream

Examples

Běijīng zǎo chūn xià qǐ xiǎoyǔ, zhēnshi tiānjiēxiǎoyǔrùnrúsū.
A light drizzle in early-spring Beijing — truly 'fine rain on the imperial street, moist as butter.'
Tā bǎ tiānjiēxiǎoyǔrùnrúsū chāo zài le rìjìběn fēi yè.
She copied 'fine rain on the imperial street, moist as butter' onto the inside cover of her diary.

Tips

history
Opening line of 韩愈 Han Yu 《十八》: 小雨 — 'fine rain on the imperial avenues is soft as butter; grass-color seen from afar, vanishes up close.' The capital's early spring.
usage
= 'heavenly street' = the main avenues of the imperial capital (Chang'an). (sū) is a soft dairy cream (like clotted butter) — a Tang-era luxury metaphor for softness. Usually quoted with the following .

Stroke Order

tiān
jiē
xiǎo
rùn