春江潮水连海平

春江潮水連海平
chūnjiāngcháoshuǐliánhǎipíng
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 the spring river's tide rises level with the sea
  2. 2 (fig.) a vast, merging horizon where river and ocean become one
  3. 3 (lit.) spring-river tide-water joins sea level

Examples

Zhàn zài Qiántángjiāng kǒu, zhēn gǎnjué chūnjiāng cháoshuǐ lián hǎi píng.
Standing at the mouth of the Qiantang, one truly feels 'the spring river tide rising level with the sea.'
Jìlùpiàn kāitóu jiù yǐnyòngle chūnjiāng cháoshuǐ lián hǎi píng, qìshì pángbó.
The documentary opens by quoting 'the spring river tide rises level with the sea' — sweeping in scale.

Tips

history
Opening line of 月夜》(Zhang Ruoxu, early Tang, c. 700): 潮水海上明月 (The spring river's tide rises level with the sea; above the sea, the bright moon is born with the tide). A single-poem masterpiece — Zhang Ruoxu has only two poems extant, but this one is traditionally called '' (a single poem that outweighs the whole Tang).
usage
Inseparable from 海上明月 — together they launch one of the most celebrated poems in Chinese literature. here = joins, merges with. = level (as a verb/stative). Quote for any grand river-meets-sea scene or sweeping opening.

Stroke Order

chūn
jiāng
cháo
shuǐ
lián
hǎi
píng