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月有阴晴圆缺

月有陰晴圓缺
yuè yǒu yīn qíng yuán quē
quotation

Meanings

  1. 1 the moon is dark or clear, round or waning
  2. 2 nothing stays the same; ups and downs are natural
  3. 3 a classic figure for life's fluctuations

Examples

人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全。
Rényǒubēihuānlíhé, yuèyǒuyīnqíngyuánquē, cǐshìgǔnánquán.
People have sorrows and joys, partings and reunions; the moon has cloudy and clear nights, waxing and waning — perfection has been rare since ancient times.
经历了这几年，他更懂得月有阴晴圆缺的道理。
Jīnglì le zhè jǐ nián, tā gèng dǒngde yuèyǒuyīnqíngyuánquē de dàolǐ.
After these few years, he understands the lesson of the waxing and waning moon much more deeply.

Tips

history
From Su Shi's (苏轼, Northern Song) 《水调歌头·明月几时有》, written at Mid-Autumn 1076 for his brother Su Zhe: 人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全 — 'People know sorrow and joy, parting and reunion; the moon is dark or bright, full or waning — such has been the incompleteness of things since ancient times.' One of the most quoted couplets in all of Chinese literature.
usage
Almost always cited alongside its twin 人有悲欢离合. The four states of the moon (yīn 阴 cloudy, qíng 晴 clear, yuán 圆 full, quē 缺 waning) each map onto a state in human affairs.

Stroke Order

月 yuè
有 yǒu
阴 yīn
晴 qíng
圆 yuán
缺 quē