心血来潮

心血來潮

xīnxuè-láicháo

idiom #24,081

Meanings

1 on a sudden impulse
2 carried away by a whim
3 a sudden urge strikes

Characters

to come; to arrive

tide; wave; current

Examples

他心血来潮，决定去爬山。

Tā xīnxuèláicháo, juédìng qù páshān.

On a sudden whim, he decided to go mountain climbing.

别心血来潮就做决定，要好好想清楚。

Bié xīnxuèláicháo jiù zuò juédìng, yàohǎo hǎo xiǎng qīngchǔ.

Don't make decisions on a whim — think it through carefully.

她心血来潮地剪掉了长发。

Tā xīnxuèláicháo de jiǎn diào le chángfà.

On a sudden impulse, she cut off her long hair.

Tips

memory

心血 = heart blood (one's innermost feelings/energy), 来潮 = tide coming in. The image is: a tide of blood suddenly surging to the heart, sparking an unplanned impulse. Think of a wave of inspiration crashing in unexpectedly.

Stroke Order

心 xīn

血 xuè

来 lái

潮 cháo