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忙趁东风放纸鸢

忙趁東風放紙鳶
mángchèndōngfēngfàngzhǐyuān
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 hurrying to catch the east wind, they fly their kites
  2. 2 (fig.) a classic spring scene of children at play
  3. 3 (lit.) hurriedly taking advantage of east-wind, release paper-kite

Examples

清明前后，公园里孩子们忙趁东风放纸鸢。
Qīngmíng qiánhòu, gōngyuán lǐ háizimen máng chèn dōngfēng fàng zhǐyuān.
Around Qingming, children in the park are 'hurrying to catch the east wind, flying their kites.'
广场上到处是风筝，正所谓忙趁东风放纸鸢。
Guǎngchǎng shàng dàochù shì fēngzhēng, zhèng suǒwèi máng chèn dōngfēng fàng zhǐyuān.
Kites are everywhere in the square — truly 'hurrying to catch the east wind to fly their kites.'

Tips

history
From 高鼎《村居》(Gao Ding, late Qing, 19th c.): 草长莺飞二月天，拂堤杨柳醉春烟。儿童散学归来早，忙趁东风放纸鸢 (Grass grows, orioles fly in second-month weather; willows brushing the dike are drunk on spring mist. Children, dismissed from school, hurry home — rushing to catch the east wind and fly their kites). A primary-school staple, taught alongside Qingming Festival lessons.
usage
趁 (chèn) = to take advantage of (an opportunity). 纸鸢 (zhǐyuān) is the classical/poetic word for kite (modern Chinese uses 风筝). 东风 = spring's east wind — the proper season for kite-flying in China. Quote whenever talking about spring outings or children's games.

Stroke Order

忙 máng
趁 chèn
东 dōng
风 fēng
放 fàng
纸 zhǐ
鸢 yuān