潮平两岸阔

潮平兩岸闊

cháo píng liǎng àn kuò

quotation

Meanings

1 the tide level, the two banks broad - an expansive, calm, open scene (often metaphor for a favourable situation)
2 literally: the tide is level, both banks wide

Characters

Examples

HSK 6

政策放开后，行业潮平两岸阔，发展空间很大。

Zhèngcè fàngkāi hòu, hángyè cháopíngliǎng'ànkuò, fāzhǎn kōngjiān hěn dà.

Since the policy opened up, the industry has calm tides and broad banks - plenty of room to grow.

HSK 7-9

站在江边，潮平两岸阔，风正一帆悬。

Zhàn zài jiāngbiān, cháopíngliǎng'ànkuò, fēngzhèngyīfānxuán.

Standing by the river: the tide is level and the banks wide, a steady wind holds the single sail.

Tips

history

From Wang Wan's (王湾) Tang poem 《次北固山下》 (Mooring at the Foot of Beigu Mountain). Couplet: 潮平两岸阔，风正一帆悬 - 'The tide runs level and the two banks widen; the wind blows true, the single sail hangs poised.' Written on a journey down the Yangtze. Praised by the Tang prime minister Zhang Yue (张说) who supposedly wrote it out himself and hung it in the chancellery as a model couplet.

usage

Paired couplet with 风正一帆悬. Used metaphorically for a smooth, opening phase - a stable market, post-reform economy, a successful project launch. Register is classical / literary.

Stroke Order

潮 cháo

平 píng

两 liǎng

岸 àn

阔 kuò