傲霜枝

àoshuāngzhī

idiom

Meanings

1 branches defying frost
2 an image of chrysanthemum boughs standing firm in the cold
3 metaphor for unyielding spirit in hard times

Characters

Examples

菊残犹有傲霜枝。

Jú cán yóu yǒu àoshuāngzhī.

Though the chrysanthemum is spent, its frost-defying branches still stand.

她的风骨，正如傲霜枝。

Tā de fēnggǔ, zhèngrú àoshuāngzhī.

Her integrity is like a frost-defying branch.

Tips

history

From Su Shi's 《赠刘景文》: 荷尽已无擎雨盖，菊残犹有傲霜枝 — 'the lotus is gone, with no rain-catching leaves; the chrysanthemum is spent, but its frost-defying branches remain.' The chrysanthemum is the classical symbol of stubborn integrity in harsh times.

Stroke Order

傲 ào

霜 shuāng

枝 zhī