月到中秋分外明

Yuè dào zhōngqiū fènwài míng

quotation

Meanings

1 the Mid-Autumn moon is especially bright
2 familiar things feel more precious at the right moment or in one's homeland
3 when the moon arrives at Mid-Autumn, it is extraordinarily bright

Characters

autumn (中秋 = Mid-Autumn)

portion / degree

outside (分外 = extraordinarily)

Examples

HSK 7-9

月到中秋分外明，家家团圆赏月吃月饼。

Yuèdàozhōngqiūfènwàimíng, jiājiā tuányuán shǎngyuè chī yuèbǐng.

The moon at Mid-Autumn is especially bright - every family reunites to view it and eat mooncakes.

HSK 7-9

人逢佳节倍思亲，月到中秋分外明。

Rén féng jiājié bèi sī qīn, yuèdàozhōngqiūfènwàimíng.

People long doubly for loved ones at festivals - the Mid-Autumn moon shines especially bright.

Tips

history

A Ming-Qing era proverb, widely popularized through 增广贤文 and Feng Menglong's 警世通言: 月到中秋分外明，每逢佳节倍思亲. (The moon at Mid-Autumn is extra bright; at every festival, longing for kin is doubled.) The second half echoes Wang Wei's Tang couplet 独在异乡为异客，每逢佳节倍思亲.

usage

分外 is read with 4th tone fèn (not fēn), meaning 'extraordinarily / especially.' Often cited together with 每逢佳节倍思亲 around Mid-Autumn Festival greetings.

Stroke Order

月 yuè

到 dào

中 zhōng

秋 qiū

分 fēn

外 wài

明 míng