梅妻鹤子

梅妻鶴子
méiqī-hèzǐ
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 plum trees for a wife and cranes for children
  2. 2 the carefree life of a recluse

Examples

HSK 7-9
Tā cí le gōngzuò, bāndào shān lǐ, guòqǐ le méiqī-hèzǐ de rìzi.
He quit his job, moved to the mountains and took up a hermit's life, with plum trees for a wife and cranes for children.
HSK 7-9
Xīhú Gūshān shàng de Fànghètíng, jìniàn de jiùshì méiqī-hèzǐ de Lín Bū.
The Crane-Releasing Pavilion on Solitary Hill by West Lake commemorates Lin Bu, the poet who took plum trees as his wife and cranes as his children.

Tips

history
林逋 (967–1028) lived as a recluse on 孤山 by 西湖, never married and never took office. He planted plum trees and kept two cranes, so people said he had 梅 for a wife and 鹤 for children.

Stroke Order

梅 méi
妻 qī
鹤 hè
子 zǐ