数风流人物

數風流人物

shǔ fēngliú rénwù

quotation

Meanings

1 to count the truly remarkable figures
2 count the heroes of the age

Characters

to count / enumerate

wind (风流 = outstanding)

flow (风流 = outstanding)

figure (人物 = notable person)

Examples

HSK 7-9

俱往矣，数风流人物，还看今朝。

Jù wǎng yǐ, shǔ fēngliú rénwù, hái kàn jīnzhāo.

All are gone now - to count the truly remarkable figures, look to the present day.

HSK 7-9

在中国科技史上数风流人物，钱学森必定是其中之一。

Zài Zhōngguó kējì shǐshàng shǔ fēngliú rénwù, Qián Xuésēn bìdìng shì qízhōng zhīyī.

If you count the truly remarkable figures in Chinese scientific history, Qian Xuesen must be one of them.

Tips

history

From Mao Zedong's 《沁园春·雪》 (1936): 惜秦皇汉武，略输文采；唐宗宋祖，稍逊风骚。一代天骄，成吉思汗，只识弯弓射大雕。俱往矣，数风流人物，还看今朝。 After dismissing the great emperors of Qin, Han, Tang, Song and Mongol, Mao declares the true heroes are in the present - among the most audacious boasts in Chinese literature.

usage

Read 数 (to count / enumerate), not shù. 风流 here means 'outstanding / distinguished', not the modern 'romantic / flirtatious' sense.

Stroke Order

数 shù

风 fēng

流 liú

人 rén

物 wù