映日荷花别样红

映日荷花別樣紅

yìngrìhéhuābiéyànghóng

phrase

Meanings

1 lotus blossoms, mirroring the sun, are a uniquely vivid red — a striking, exceptional beauty set off by its moment
2 literally: reflecting the sun, lotus flowers (are) a different kind of red

Characters

Examples

夏日西湖，映日荷花别样红，游客如织。

Xiàrì Xīhú, yìng rì hé huā bié yàng hóng, yóukè rú zhī.

West Lake in summer — lotus blossoms against the sun blaze with a singular red, and tourists come in crowds.

在他的镜头下，荷塘映日荷花别样红。

Zài tā de jìngtóu xià, hétáng yìng rì hé huā bié yàng hóng.

Through his lens, the lotus pond's flowers against the sun shine with an uncommon red.

Tips

history

From Yang Wanli's (杨万里) Southern Song poem 《晓出净慈寺送林子方》 (Seeing Lin Zifang Off at Dawn from the Jingci Temple). Couplet: 接天莲叶无穷碧，映日荷花别样红 — 'Lotus leaves meet the sky, endlessly green; lotus flowers mirror the sun, a singular red.' Written at West Lake in Hangzhou, the archetypal Chinese lotus-pond scene.

usage

Paired couplet — nearly always quoted together with 接天莲叶无穷碧. Staple of West Lake tourism, lotus festival ad copy, and any summer-pond photography.

Stroke Order

映 yìng

日 rì

荷 hé

花 huā

别 bié

样 yàng

红 hóng