鸣阳凤

鳴陽鳳

míngyángfèng

idiom

Meanings

1 (fig.) a worthy person who speaks out boldly for justice
2 lit. a phoenix calling to the morning sun — a virtuous voice willing to speak truth

Characters

Examples

那位老臣堪称鸣阳凤，敢于直言进谏。

Nà wèi lǎo chén kān chēng míngyángfèng, gǎnyú zhíyán jìnjiàn.

That old minister truly deserves to be called a phoenix crying to the dawn — he dared to speak frankly in remonstrance.

真正的知识分子应做鸣阳凤，而不是附声虫。

Zhēnzhèng de zhīshifènzi yīng zuò míngyángfèng, ér bù shì fù shēng chóng.

A real intellectual should be a phoenix calling to the sun, not a parrot-worm echoing others.

Tips

history

From 《诗经·大雅·卷阿》: 凤凰鸣矣，于彼高冈；梧桐生矣，于彼朝阳 — the phoenix calls from a high ridge, facing the morning sun. The image became shorthand for a virtuous voice willing to speak truth to power.

Stroke Order

鸣 míng

阳 yáng

凤 fèng