潮平两岸阔

潮平兩岸闊

cháo píng liǎng àn kuò

quotation

Meanings

1 the tide level, the two banks broad — an expansive, calm, open scene (often metaphor for a favourable situation)
2 literally: the tide is level, both banks wide

Characters

Examples

政策放开后，行业潮平两岸阔，发展空间很大。

Zhèngcè fàngkāi hòu, hángyè cháopíngliǎng'ànkuò, fāzhǎn kōngjiān hěn dà.

Since the policy opened up, the industry has calm tides and broad banks — plenty of room to grow.

站在江边，潮平两岸阔，风正一帆悬。

Zhàn zài jiāngbiān, cháopíngliǎng'ànkuò, fēngzhèngyīfānxuán.

Standing by the river: the tide is level and the banks wide, a steady wind holds the single sail.

Tips

history

From Wang Wan's (王湾) Tang poem 《次北固山下》 (Mooring at the Foot of Beigu Mountain). Couplet: 潮平两岸阔，风正一帆悬 — 'The tide runs level and the two banks widen; the wind blows true, the single sail hangs poised.' Written on a journey down the Yangtze. Praised by the Tang prime minister Zhang Yue (张说) who supposedly wrote it out himself and hung it in the chancellery as a model couplet.

usage

Paired couplet with 风正一帆悬. Used metaphorically for a smooth, opening phase — a stable market, post-reform economy, a successful project launch. Register is classical / literary.

Stroke Order

潮 cháo

平 píng

两 liǎng

岸 àn

阔 kuò