气象万千

氣象萬千
qìxiàngwànqiān
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 scenes of every imaginable kind
  2. 2 a majestic, ever-changing panorama
  3. 3 breathtakingly varied

Examples

Huángshān de fēngjǐng qì xiàng wàn qiān.
The scenery of Huangshan is ever-changing and magnificent.
Zhè zuò chéngshì de yèjǐng qì xiàng wàn qiān.
This city's night view is a breathtaking panorama.
Dà zìrán qì xiàng wàn qiān, lìng rén zàntàn.
Nature's myriad forms are awe-inspiring.

Tips

history
From Fan Zhongyan's Song-dynasty 《岳阳》: 气象万千 — describing Dongting Lake shifting from dawn brightness to evening shade, 'ten thousand variations of atmosphere.' One of the most famous landscape descriptions in classical Chinese.
usage
Almost exclusively positive — grandeur and variety of scenery, cities, or (figuratively) a rich historical era.

Stroke Order

xiàng
wàn
qiān